I am always extremely amused at the labels that people put on me. I think it's because to most people the outside doesn't match the inside :) I have been told more than once that I don't look like a Christian. I don't really know what that means but I know they think it is true. I have 13 tattoos (and I'll probably get more), I have piercings other than in my ears, my hair color changes monthly and I tend to dress a little hippy-ish, I sew a lot of my own clothes. I listen to my music loud (and most of my music is from the 70's or earlier) and it's possible you could see me dancing in the rain outside or rescuing a duck or something :) So, first impression? I most often get labeled a hippy, sometimes punk or alternative. Sometimes, simply weird. But I'm pretty happy-go-lucky, I smile a lot, so people are ok with me being a hippy. Until.........
they find out I'm a Christian. Holy Rusted Metal Batman!!!!!
Oh boy, oh boy! This is when the real labels start coming out :) and this is when I start becoming amused. And this is why: I look like a liberal hippy (according to others), I look like a tree hugging, peace loving alterna-punk rock chick :) (which by the way, is just fine with me) Until.....the Christian comes out. Then, somehow, the tattoos fade, the crazy hair is no longer an issue, the hippy clothes, the perpetual smile, all thrown by the wayside. Because I am a Christian....therefore, I am a conservative, close minded, hypocritical, self-righteous, judgemental, fun hating bigot. And then the double whammy!!!! I work for a church. That makes me some sort of uber-Christian, so you can take all those labels and add 100. That is a whole lot of labels!
And it is not who I am. We all are so worried about what someone looks like or what they do or where they work that we forget all about WHO they are. I am so saddened that the only experience that some people have had with Christians cause them to have this kind of opinion. There are so many different, wonderful, beautiful people out there. God created us all so uniquely. It causes me some serious heart ache when we label and pigeon hole others based on surface information.
You know what Christian means to me? A Christ follower. I follow Christ. I try to live my life as He would have me live it. I love others, passionately and intensely. I strive to always put the needs of others before myself, no matter what label they carry, no matter that they subscribe to my set of beliefs or not. People that know me well would probably tell you that I'd give you the shirt off my back if you needed it. And that would be the truth, I would. I'd also give you my home, car, food, etc. Because I love you. Because God loves you. I give my time and effort to my church and community. I am involved in our youth ministry because I truly want to see lives changed for eternity. I don't judge others, because I have no right to. Not only have I lived a life that has not been perfect but as a Christ follower, I am commanded to not judge others. I am an eternal optimist. I see sunshine everywhere. I believe in the inherent goodness of humankind and it gets me hurt....a lot. But I wouldn't change it. I love Christ with every single fiber of my being. I live to know more and more of Him every day, to become more like Him, to love more like Him. That is how I would prefer to be labeled as a Christian. As a lover. A lover of Christ and a lover of others.
If you are looking at me and the tattoos and piercings seem to fade and the hair doesn't bother you so much, I want it to be because you can see Christ in me, because you can see love in me. Not because you are jaded by some mean Christian that hurt your feelings along the way. Believe me, plenty of them have hurt my feelings along the way. Look past that. Truly look someone in the eyes. Get to know their heart. Give people a chance before you label them. You may just be surprised at what you find.
Written by a Christ following, tree hugging, tattooed, conservative, lover of others, pierced, fun loving, hippy alterna-punk rock peace-loving forgiven sinner :)
And it is not who I am. We all are so worried about what someone looks like or what they do or where they work that we forget all about WHO they are. I am so saddened that the only experience that some people have had with Christians cause them to have this kind of opinion. There are so many different, wonderful, beautiful people out there. God created us all so uniquely. It causes me some serious heart ache when we label and pigeon hole others based on surface information.
You know what Christian means to me? A Christ follower. I follow Christ. I try to live my life as He would have me live it. I love others, passionately and intensely. I strive to always put the needs of others before myself, no matter what label they carry, no matter that they subscribe to my set of beliefs or not. People that know me well would probably tell you that I'd give you the shirt off my back if you needed it. And that would be the truth, I would. I'd also give you my home, car, food, etc. Because I love you. Because God loves you. I give my time and effort to my church and community. I am involved in our youth ministry because I truly want to see lives changed for eternity. I don't judge others, because I have no right to. Not only have I lived a life that has not been perfect but as a Christ follower, I am commanded to not judge others. I am an eternal optimist. I see sunshine everywhere. I believe in the inherent goodness of humankind and it gets me hurt....a lot. But I wouldn't change it. I love Christ with every single fiber of my being. I live to know more and more of Him every day, to become more like Him, to love more like Him. That is how I would prefer to be labeled as a Christian. As a lover. A lover of Christ and a lover of others.
If you are looking at me and the tattoos and piercings seem to fade and the hair doesn't bother you so much, I want it to be because you can see Christ in me, because you can see love in me. Not because you are jaded by some mean Christian that hurt your feelings along the way. Believe me, plenty of them have hurt my feelings along the way. Look past that. Truly look someone in the eyes. Get to know their heart. Give people a chance before you label them. You may just be surprised at what you find.
Written by a Christ following, tree hugging, tattooed, conservative, lover of others, pierced, fun loving, hippy alterna-punk rock peace-loving forgiven sinner :)
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