Let's talk.

Let's talk about loving Jesus.

Let's talk about being cool and fitting in.

Let's talk about showing others how we love Jesus.

Let's talk.

Here's the deal, friends.  My mom sent me this article this morning.  I love it.  I agree with it.  And unless you read it, this blog may not make a ton of sense to you.

It's okay, I'll wait here while you read.

Got it?  Wonderful.

I posted it on my instagram and received some comments that made me think about it a lot more.

Don't worry, I'm not going to rant about the article {even though I think it is fantastic} or insta-oppinions.

I want to talk about something else.

I think that culturally, we have been trying to change the message of Jesus, whether we realize it or not.

Trying to make it softer, make it cooler, make it more accepting.

Trying to make it fit in more--so it will reach more people, of course.

In doing this, we've gone as far as disengaging ourselves from something as pure as calling ourselves Christians.

We've picked which parts of the Bible will reach people the most, and we've left out the rest.

When the topics of gay marriage, or abortion, or unmarried sex come up, we tend to pretend the Bible doesn't have clear views on those things.

My aunt texted me after reading that article and said this:

"It's not our message to change to our personal beliefs.  

It's His message to share with others.  People forget that."

And I think, that maybe, we have. 

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" {Luke 10:27}

Love God.  Love People.

It's that simple.

Love God.

Love the things He has said.

The words He has left behind for you.

Love People.

Love them enough to tell them those things.

Love them enough to love them with full on Christianity, not with with a watered down version you've created for yourself.

Love them enough to be yourself around them, not a watered down version of yourself tailored to them and their feelings.

I believe in Jesus.  I call myself a Christian.

Does that mean that I agree and am linking myself to all the crazy people who have done horrible things in the name of Christianity?

No.

Does that mean I'm saying that I am affiliated with the ignorant people who want to burn the Koran and blame it on their Christianity?

No.

I mean, let's just put this into perspective.  I'm a female.  In the history of humanity, there have been some crazy females who have done horrific things, like murder their families.

So should I not call myself a female, because I don't want to be affiliated with them in any way?

Yeah, that'll do the trick.

I mean, really.  Come on guys.  If you follow Christ, YOU follow Christ.  It doesn't mean you follow every other individual who claims to follow Christ.  It means that YOU follow Christ.

I am by no means perfect.

I do not even come close to measuring up to the standards set for us in the Bible.

But that's why Jesus came for me, and that is why I happily claim His name.

When I say I am a Christian, I mean that I am a follower of Christ, and I will not apologize for that.

Nor will I try to make it something that it's not.

Yes, there are some churches out there with some seriously skewed beliefs.  I grew up in church and am fully aware of the backwardness and hypocrisy in some churches.

But let's not forget, Jesus calls the church His bride.

{So going to church is nothing to apologize for.}

A bride that He loved enough to die for.

Do not dishonor that by being ashamed of His name.

Do you know how you can make up for the ugliness of some churches?

By doing what Jesus has called us to do.  Love people with His love.  Share HIS message with them, not yours.

Love God.

Love People.