Interesting advertisement ... Not exactly sure what they're getting at there, but I like the PINK ;) Maybe they're making a statement, that pink can now no longer be associated with girliness ... or being gay.
Some people are still dead set against guys wearing pink, others simply don't like the colour. I myself didn't really like the colour that long ago, but at the moment I seem to like it.
It is amazing how things change over time, how some things become acceptable and other things become taboo. It has now become acceptable for guys to like pink and to wear pink, but it has become taboo to share your faith with someone. It does make me think a bit though, now I'm happy to stand up and say I like pink because not many people are going to bash me for that, but to get up and tell people how cool Jesus is, I will think twice because thats likely to get me into an uncomfortable position.
I might be confident enough of who I am as man to proclaim "I love pink and I'm not ashamed of it" but I'm sad to say there are times when I'm not confident enough of who I am (in God) to proclaim "I love Jesus and I'm not ashamed of it!"
Its easy for me go along with what is publicly acceptable, but since when has God called me to simply fit the mould and expectations of the world. And how could I be ashamed of Christ, after all the shame he took on my behalf. God is not even ashamed of us, in spite of what we have done to defame his name!
There have been many times I've prayed to be more like Christ, but haven't been ready to be persecuted to even a fraction of the extent that Christ was. I end up just doing the little things that aren't going to draw too much attention, or even just do the things around people I know expect that from me. But God didn't make me just to fit in and do the acceptable, He called me for more than that.
Two questions on a website got me thinking "Are you willing to be expendable for Christ?" "Are you willing to count not your life dear unto yourself?"
I want to be ... I want to not care about my reputation ... I don't want to hold onto what I have at the moment, but right now I'm needing God's help to do that. For my life to really count ... I need to give up the little that I have. Its wierd though how I can cling onto something that really has no worth when its in my hands.
"If any of you wants to be my follower," he told them, "you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? If a person is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in the glory of my Father with the holy angels."
Mark 8:34b-38
2 comments:
Hi Tom,
Saw your comment on my weblog and decided to take a look at yours - great site. Nice to see you're involved in missions as well. In 2001, my wife and I did a DTS in Texas, USA. Live changing, that's for sure.
Re. this post: I find it an intriguing thing Jesus says in the verses you quote. Who does he address with this? I tend to think he is addressing the crowds that come to look for the signs and wonders that follow Jesus' ministry but do not show an honest hunger for Himself. Those people need to understand that it will cost everything that is now dear to them to receive whatever God is offering them. I see many christians using these verses to beat themselves up, focussing so much on what they should leave behind that they forget what they are after in the first place: Jesus himself! I think this produces a mixed gospel: the gospel of grace and the gospel of works.
The questions that you refer to, have some of this same mixture - yes, you're saved by Jesus' redemptive work on the cross, but for your life to be worthwhile, you have to do something.
I'd say: continue to focus on Jesus and let the desire to be like him grow in you like the tree in Psalms 1. The natural outcome will be fruit!
And I think you forgot the word 'not' when saying that God is ashamed of us - He is obviously not! He is so proud of us, that he chose to make the church the means to show his manifold wisdom to the heavenly powers (Ephesians 3:10)...
Anyway. Didn't want to preach but to encourage :-)
Keep up the good work, blessings in your ministry
Mark
Thanks mate ... yeh I suppose I need to not beat myself up to much ;) did feel like God was reminding me I'm saved for a purpose =)
and fixed that missing 'not'
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