When you know, you just know. Know what exactly? When you get under people’s skin. When you make people uncomfortable by being the real you. The imperfect, messy, sometimes hypocritical, contradictory, awkward, unabashedly- honest you. The you that still sins but is forgiven, who lives a life of scandalous freedom yet is still called to yield to self control. Doesn’t make sense…

Everyone’s pretending, or has at some point and that seems far more normal than living on front Street. Talking about feelings. Emotions. Sin. Jesus. Truth (there’s either truth or there isn’t). Hard stuff. Uncomfortable stuff. Not politically correct stuff. We’re talking majorly divisive stuff. Your beliefs. When you start stepping out and living it.

Religion is safe. Even faith. Even God, in that sort of generic feel goody- fuzzy way. I get it, it’s fine for me but Don’t shove it in my face. And don’t you dare actually live what you profess. Or change. That’s radical. And it is. When you claim that it’s more than an emotional crutch, when you literally believe as if it’s life or death. And it is. Or heaven forbid, consider the ancient Bible with any authority or credibility. Surely, nothing can be known and it’s culturally irrelevant. That’s a lot too much for many. It doesn’t feel safe. It isn’t. Or uniform. It won’t be. Or universal . Now, you’re chartering dangerous waters. Now you’re either horrifically stupid and hopelessly brain washed or hateful. Or both

Galatians 1:10 Immerse the reading Bible holy Bible new living translation

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

Hmm… This verse tends to pop up in a reoccurring way in my life. Truth is, I do want to please people. It’s kind of how the Lord made me. But when it comes down to it, God must be first in my life. And following him will certainly not be pleasing to me or those I care for all the time. The Bible tells me it will inevitably cost me something.. Matthew 10:38-39

Yet, in my serving I am to “if possible, as far as it depends on you, live peacably with all” . (Romans 12:18) This is a fine line it seems. One that I cannot in my own effort get right. Thankfully, the Bible is filled with characters like me whom God used to his glory and mission.

I must be prepared, though, for friction. Tension. Unease. Relationships severing. Offending or being offended. Losing credibility. Respect. Being tested. Ostracized. Or worse. Perhaps far, far worse lies ahead.

I know this. I want to be authentic. I want to be so much a woman of integrity that anyone who tries to come against me would be stricken with conviction. I want to be accused of being a “true Christian” and nothing less. If I don’t share what’s most important to me, how can I be trusted with anything??