Weak Minded

There are many controversial things that surround our culture. The mere fact that our culture is the combination of many other cultures and religions causes us to question almost anything. We also tend to push in culture as things that we are supposed to do by laws of religion.

 Let me give a few examples: At Christmas time we put up a tree, decorate it and give presents to each other, all to celebrate the birth of our Lord... Where in the world does a pretty tree fit into that? (rumor has it that that tradition is a pagan one) Another example: Before every meal we pray to bless the food. Not gonna lie, it is a good thing to do, but I'm pretty sure that if we don't pray before we eat we will not die from food poisoning or something horrendous. The list could go on and on.

But one thing that does get on my nerves, slightly, and I think Paul said it the best "Knowledge puffs up but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God." -1 Cor. 8:1-3.

There are a few things stated there that we all tend to forget. We might be on the path to Christ but we sure are not always right. Each of us have ideas of "the right thing" in our own mind that we apply diligently to our lives. When it becomes a danger is when you have decided that your "right thing" is the only "right way".

Let me pull up a subject that is of some debate between many denominations within Christianity. Alcohol. Now I am going to make a statement before anyone has time to judge. God brings to light, as individuals, what has come between you and Him. For every person God brings to light different things at different times depending on where you are with Him. If Jesus told you no on any matter, you should probably obey. If something was never brought to you as a conviction then thats between you and God.

 Anyway, there are many Christians that have there different stands on the issue of drinking. Some say that it is a big no no, and others believe some is okay. My point here is not on who is right and who is wrong. My point is simply, is your knowledge so "puffed up" that you cannot except the person that does not believe what you believe? What is that other than division? People cuss, people drink, people don't pray before they eat... who cares? If only our ideas of "right and wrong" define us then we are no better, if not worse, than anyone in this world. 

"... the greatest of these is love."-Jesus. This is what should make us "Jesus lovers" the cut above... love and nothing else. Are we so weak minded to let anything else define us?

An Unlocked Room

"Where are you going?" Every word from his mouth was smug, as if it was all a joke.
"I'm not too sure." I looked around again, everything was such a blur. I remembered this room to look a lot different when I walked in it but now it seemed drastically different. Day by day things changed and molded, in the beginning it was inviting and exciting but now it seemed more and more like a cell.
"I don't want to be here anymore." This time I told him to his face, but all he gave back was a erie smile.
"Let me out." I insisted as I motioned to his keys. "What makes you think that this isn't where you belong?" He said smoothly.
I paused at his question, I had no answer. "You opened the door didn't you?" He said, "You wanted to open it." I looked around again, the walls had peeled away into cement and the furniture had lost it's grand appeal, leaving only a pile of wood and rotted cloth behind. I could fix it up, I thought, I could make something of it. I reached for an old lamp to switch on the light, but it flickered and went out. I tried the switch again but nothing happened.
I stopped and just stared at the lamp with my hand still seemingly glued to the switch, almost as if I had hoped it would just magically come on at any minute. I let go suddenly and ran over to the old couch in a panic trying to place the pieces back together that was obviously a hopeless project. As soon as I let go of the wood, it fell apart in an instant, turning out to be in a more horrible condition than when I started. I need help, I thought. That second the voice in the corner leaned back into his chair and just smirked at me as if I was doing a good job on my own.
I stood up slowly and just closed my eyes. "God..." I whispered. In that moment I realized that I was on my own and a sudden wave of emotion that I didn't belong there struck me in the face. I was wasting my time in a room meant for no one. I opened my eyes and swiveled around to face the door that not to long ago I dreamed of going through to enter into this very room. Now I so desperately wanted out to be where I belonged... in a place of peace.
I walked over to the door and this time touched the door knob. He stood up very fast and took a step toward me, "Where are you going?" he exclaimed.
I slowly turned the handle to the door that seemed to need no key, I turned my eyes to his and said "Somewhere."
Smiling I took my step into the unknown, and in that there... was freedom.

Common Man

I have searched this world for an acceptance I will never find.
I am haunted by the twisting and tearing of words others have labeled me as, or the declaration by others of who I will be.
No one will truly accept me for me.
Everyone has their own opinion.
Everyone thinks they know how I will turn out.
Everyone has a pre conceived notion of who I am because of words I use or an insecurity that came off strong.
Tell me who I am and you will be wrong.
Tell me where I am going and where I end up will be severally different.
You do not know who I am by your judgement.
My life has nothing to do with what you think.
My life has everything to do with what I think.
Where my foot falls is my decision.
Who I am was declared before you were in existence.
I was born for greatness.
You do not determine what my greatness is.
I will not live for you, you will never be satisfied.
I am tired of life being tinted by rejection.
I am exhausted of running after your approval and opinions.
I am Common Man, and I was born to be great.
I was born to be great but Common Man lives to tell me different.

The Beaten Path

She had been sitting in the same filthy spot for awhile. The same place she fell a day ago, and then just decided not to get up. When she hit, whatever it was, it hurt. As she fell to the ground there was nothing there to break her fall. She was all alone, in the dark and very confused.
Question after question raced through her mind like a thousand cars on the freeway, but she knew she could not tell where any of them were headed.
"I'm sick of walking," she decided.
Before she tripped she had been walking for a long time, it seemed like years.
Somewhere along the way it got very dark, like the sun decided to set, never to return again. No moon was out, not even a street lamp. It was so dark she could not tell the direction she was headed, or even where her foot would land next.
She told herself over and over again that she would figure it out. That she had it all under control and that, 'I was headed somewhere important'.
The problem was she was lost now, about the time the light disappeared so did the path.
"What am I doing?" she mumbled to herself.
"What are you doing?" said a strong voice, that burst from the darkness like a sudden gust of wind.
She didn't move, maybe it was in her head. Maybe there was no one really there. Her shame began to take over. 'If I don't move,' she thought, 'they might go away.'
"I can leave, but you won't find your way back if I do." they said gently,  a smile was in his voice.
'Way back?' her thoughts raced again, ' I was going somewhere.' Anger welled up inside of her like a boiling pot about to overflow.
"All purposes have a path, but you are sitting in unmarked territory." It was like he was in her head, every thought and emotion.
"I have been watching you, I was waiting for you to fall."
Her rage suddenly took over and she yelled "And you did nothing!?" she had had enough, "I have been walking around in the dark for days, and you said nothing... did nothing!"
"My light never grew dim," a tender grasp held on to her hand and slowly pulled it away from her eyes "you just decided to ignore it." His face was warm and kind. The expression He wore made her feel like she was His long lost friend that He had finally found. His eyes screamed.... Promise. "I am the way, the truth, and the light... where you were going was not where you were meant to go."
She tore her eyes off of Him and looked down at herself. Her tears of realization fell down her face and helped wash some of the dirt away from her bare cheeks.
"I'm sorry," she shook her head "I thought I knew what I was doing."
She pulled up her head to look Him in the eyes, thinking He would be disappointed, but His tears only told her how much He loved her.
A sudden smile overcame Him and He stood up offering a firm hand down to her. She slipped her hand into His and He pulled her up off of the place she fell. "Let's go back." He said.
In her mind, she very much agreed.