Foo Fighters and Jesus

I know, typically you don't think of those two names together. These are two names that are readily in my vocabulary at any given moment. In the song, "The Pretender", the chorus is: "What if I say I'm not like the others, what if I say I'm not just another one." When I hear this lyric, I think of how people view Christians and Christianity in today's world and time. I think, how could the name of Christ and his followers get so distorted? I feel that it has certainly changed a lot in the past few years, but it seems to still be screwed up.

Music has certainly been a good opener with bands like Switchfoot, POD, Seabird, Anberlin...etc.... But what are other ways Christians could merge into the societies and cultures of the world and destroy stereotypes? Is it all that important? Has it gotten so stupid that some Churches try so hard to appeal to culture so much that they lose the Gospel in the process?

Certainly some do try very hard to appeal with the whole Emergent Church and all. But the fact is, there will always be stereotypes of Christians. All we can do is be legit with our lives. Let them reflect that we believe what we say, preach, read in the bible. That we are to have a servant's heart. We are to freely give: time, money, hearts. That we are not judgmental. That we trust our entire lives with God's plan. If we are not living Christ centered, then why would anyone want to follow Christ. We become pretenders.

It is something that I have wrestled with for sometime now. I know so many friends that proclaim to be Christ followers, yet their lives and actions do not reflect what they believe. At times, mine has been this way. Why would I invite someone to Church when sometimes I don't feel like going? Why would I pray with someone if my heart was not in it? Why would I herald a good book if I didn't really even absorb it?

Just some thoughts and questions to ponder and pray about. I am constantly asking God to give me and my family a heart of compassion at all times for all people. Some are easier to love than others, but the fact remains that without Love, we will perish and we can not say that we have true love for God. Jesus was not a pretender. He was the Savior and the God man. He loved us so much that he laid down His own life to save our souls. Should we believe in Him and follow him and surrender everything to Him, we will not perish, but have everlasting life. I pray that all one of you reading this would ask yourself these questions as I am. My hope is that Christ will continue to change me and sanctify me. No longer will I be a pretender.