Billy hung head as the group of classmates walked off laughing and mocking what he had just said. Moments earlier they were all headed to the new water park, but now, in the silence that comes with rejection, Billy Walker stood alone.
In his young adolescent mind Billy wondered why he even tried to have friends. Time after time it was the same thing. They would begin to do or say something that was wrong and he would tell them that God wouldn’t want them doing that. The inevitable response was always the same: “Who are you to judge us? Your just being intolerant!” Then they would begin laughing and joking and walk off with one less companion. He couldn’t stop telling those that sinned that they were doing wrong. Then he simply opened up his Bible and start reading as he walked home . . .
“Hey!! I’ve got it!” Tammy’s hand waved rapidly as she tried to capture everyone's attention in the room. “Let’s have the party at Christy’s house. Your parents are going to be out of town for a while right?” She stared for a response as Christy jolted from her normally relaxed state.
“My house . . .” she exclaimed. “We can’t have it at my house! I mean what would the neighbors say, the pastor of our church just lives two blocks down.”
“Oh! So I suppose your not hip enough to have a real party.” The group responded almost simultaneously. “I suppose,” Tammy nodded to the rest of the gang, “we will just have to find a real friend. Someone that is actually cool and not just acting like it. C'mon girls, let’s go talk to that new kid across town. Maybe she is our type of friend.”
“No!!!! You can’t leave.” Christy’s mind raced as she ran and blocked the door. “Your the only friends I have. We can have the party. Just no rough stuff . . . ok?”
A couple of days passed and finally the party came. That night many emotions were felt, but none compared with the filling of horror that came over one young girl as she watched her house be turned into a dungeon of sin. Though surrounded by all those she thought was so dear, in the midst of laughter and music, in a room so crowded, Christy Dixon was all alone. Once again she had failed and now she was in for the biggest surprise of her life . . .
These stories are merely illustration. One of a boy who, though despised by those he knows, continues to preach the righteousness of God. The other of a girl that desires the acceptance of this world more than the love of God. Being a young Christian myself, I know the desire that is born in us to want to be liked, but at what price does society’s acceptance come at? The answer is the salvation of your soul.
The fact of the matter is whether the world likes us or not is no big problem. When it comes down to it, if the world likes us too much, we must not be doing our Christian duty. For it is written: “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26) As Christians (that means those that follow Christ) we are not to be liked by the world, nay rather, we are to be hated: “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” The simplicity of the situation is summed up to this. As followers of the mighty God of all creation, we are not called to accepted by society, we are not called to have friends, we are not called to be rich and famous! As sons and daughters of Jesus Christ we are called to one thing and one thing only, to be faithful. Faithful ministers of God. For verily it is written: “Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.” (Ps. 101.6) |
