The religious nature of the nominal Christian.

Why attest to holding certain values if they don’t change the way you live, move, and breath? This woman (let’s call her Nurse) confessed to me today that she was ashamed that her daughter 1) worked as a part-time stripper to put herself through college, and 2) performed a lap dance for her husband’s friend.

Somehow in the midst of her explanation for shame, shock, and inability to accept her daughter’s life choices (not that I think acceptance is necessary…), Nurse confided in me that their relationship has been furthered stressed because this she had gotten drunk one day and embarrassed her daughter. Details aside—supposedly this Nurse didn’t even remember what she’d done and her daughter was not telling—she ended up asking me whether or not she should help her daughter if said daughter rang for help. A side remark referencing “what Jesus would do” ended the Real-World confession. I stood in the kitchen of my distant relatives; Ottawa, Kansas—my first day and relatively unexciting day in the midWest –-and wondered if this woman was asking me a rhetorical question. While she looked at me with expectation, my mind searched for something to say. The counselor in me kicked in as I encouraged her to assess why her daughter was asking for help. If it was already a humbling experience for said daughter to ask mom for help, then it was probably not a good idea to bring up the poor treatment as of late.

A few hours later, I was again in conversation with Nurse. This time she mentioned how some woman was discipling her. Through this discipleship she’d learned that it was unnecessary to respond to her husband’s outbursts of emotion. In the back of my mind, I was wondering what kind of discipleship this was. We all have our own definitions of what essentially is a mentor relationship. Accountability may or may not be involved. And that really is another topic for another time.

But I wonder, in this area that I think can be considered Bible Belt, what kind of religion do we have represented here. Based on my own personal interests, I’m intrigued by the manifestation of what is considered “Christian”. I guess I’m not satisfied with the idea that religion is just another thing on my list of interests. I’m not just buying into certain beliefs because I think they sound good, give me earthly and eternal security, or ensure a particular quality of life. In fact, the Christianity I’ve experienced and have read in the Bible claim quite the opposite. Ok, my soul is secure but there are no guarantees that life now won’t be hell. No money-back policy if—after conversion--the fast car, new house, and flourishing business escape me. Somehow, relinquishing control of my life to a physically absent person doesn’t instill a great sense of safety. And yet…I ought to completely trust the One who knows me inside and out—my Maker. Embracing what He considers authentic, fulfilled, purpose-driven life I rest assured knowing that it’s not up to me to perform in order to bend the Mighty hand of God. Nor am I the determiner of human decisions. By no means is this an excuse to take a backseat in the story of my life. Oh no. I’m inspired to press into the natural goals and plans I have for my life, believing that my destiny will come to pass in a timing greater than my own.