Odd conversations with Christians
I recently had a conversation with a professing Christian about his over attraction to hanging out with non- Christians who habitually derail him from his walk with the Lord. His comment to me, sounded very strange since he was a professing Christian. He said “ I’d rather hang out with them because I can be myself”.” On some level I understand the point the guy is trying to make. Which I think is, when I am around these guys or group of people I can accept them and they can accept me because we have similar interest and if I slip up they don’t call me on it. It is true that Christians should have some non-Christians friends that we hope would come to know the Lord. But to openly say that you like those friends better can be a bit tough to swallow. Here is why. If Christ is your life as you claim, and as the Scripture tells us in Colossians 3 then we have put to death the old ways in us and have exchanged them for a new life hidden in Christ.
If I have truly put on Christ, and he is my true joy, then how can it be that I’d rather spend my time with others who don’t share that same joy. This is a profound mystery to me. I’m not speaking about church goers, I am speaking of blood bought, bible believing Christians who want to make Jesus the central figure in their lives. If that is the case, what is the attraction to the non-believer than the believer that one would enjoy the company of the non-believer and the believer. Or to phrase it differently; what is it about the Christian that is so unattractive that one is drawn to non-believers? I have not answers to either of those questions, but I have self reflective questions for that person to really take to heart. Do you know any Christians? Not church goers, but Christians because I believe that you will be dramatically shocked by how caring and understanding a patient true Christians can be. Why do you find more joy in those who do not find joy in the One who is your primary joy? I think the second question is really the heart of the matter. and it may be that you are fooling yourself in believing that God is your true joy. On the surface, this phrasing may seem very harsh but I believe in exposes the real issue of disassociation with believers. So we (Christians) must make every effort to live authentically before all people, so that they may be won over to Jesus who is our true joy.