Skip to main content

Strangers Among Us

Perhaps you can help my wife and I settle a dispute. We've been watching American Idol this season. (Don't judge us.) There is one singer in particular, Adam Lambert, who has a unique style which has my wife rolling her eyes while I tap my toes. He has this thing he does which is half screaming, half singing, but not really in that Ozzy Osbourne kind of way. Okay, well maybe it is, but I think it is a difference maker for him.

Here's the thing. Yesterday I emulated it and was surprised how much it sounds like him. Mind you, just the screaming part. I did it a couple of times and got my little 2-year old performing her best rendition as well. But she's always looking for a reason to scream.

It got me thinking about strange things we do for attention. We often behave in strange ways. Sometimes I look at my kid's strange behavior and wonder where they got that. Then my wife reminds me where they got it.

On the other hand, there are some things that seem strange to us that should not. In 1 Peter 4:4, Peter is talking about what 'pagans' choose to do and how they are surprised when Christians do not act the same. I wonder if we could be accused of the same thing by our non-Christian peers.

I think there are several things, like forgiveness, obedience, and even where we look for security, that should seem strange to others. And when we don't, we will find that God finds it strange, and it is to Him that we will have to answer. 1 Peter 4:5.

Isn't it strange when we look to our peers for answers before we look to God?
Labels:

Comments

Anonymous said…
Looking to our peers is a very human thing to do. The only problem with this, is that Christ tells us to look to Him, to look to God, for guidance and direction. I think this culture has provided such comfort and lack of persecution that we think we can do it without God, and just thank Him for all the "blessings". Sometimes the "blessings" take our eyes off Him, and what He truly wants for us. Self control is one of the fruits of His spirit. . .
GSL
May 15, 2009 at 6:23 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Accountable

I recently officiated a wedding. The ceremony was simple, lovely, and ended with another couple professing to keep the covenant of marriage. But it all started with a clarification...from me. At our first premarital counseling session, as I have done with every couple I have agreed to marry, I clarified a couple of matters. First, I officiate Christian weddings, where both spouses-to-be are professing Christians. I firmly believe that marriage is difficult enough, without adding disagreements about God into the mix. Second, as a minister of Jesus Christ, I believe the pastor’s role in a wedding is to represent the blessing of God on that union. So we have several sessions of premarital counseling where we discuss married life. It’s not that I have this imaginary card in my head, with a picture of me on the front and my stats on the back. (You know, like a baseball card.) Ok, I do picture cards. Pastor cards! And being a competitive guy, I want my stats to look good. The number of coupl
Post a Comment
Read more

Patience

I am more than halfway through the last year of dropping one of my children off at school. It's my eighth grade daughter, for anyone keeping track of my family.  See, next year she will be at the high school, and her brother will drive her. He says that it's not cool for seniors to drive their freshman sister to school, but I bet it's cooler than being dropped off by your mom in a minivan.  So rather than groan about this daily responsibility, I've been reminiscing about what the drop-off line used to look like, way back in elementary school. Once our children were about halfway through their elementary years, the drop-off line became a test of patience.  Do you know which group you do not want to get caught behind in the parent drop-off line at an elementary school? The kindergartners. These little ones are barely able to walk, but now we put them in the high-pressure situation of trying to unbuckle their seat-belt, grab their backpack (which might be as tall as they a
Post a Comment
Read more

Jury Duty

I was recently summoned to jury duty. I know, groan. Except I didn't. I had never experienced it before and was curious to see what it was like.   When the day to report arrives, they separate you into groups, asking various questions to decide if you will be selected to serve. Do you know the accused? Do you have conflicts that would keep you from serving? Can you stay focused?  I wanted to answer well, if only because my kids kept wishing me luck the day before, telling me they hoped I made the team. After all, who wants to be rejected? It occurred to me that there are things you probably shouldn’t say right away if you’re wanting to serve on a jury. I know, I know, people don’t typically want to serve on a jury. But that list didn’t seem nearly as humorous to me. Here are the things you probably shouldn’t say if you want to be selected for jury. I hold myself in contempt. You can’t handle the truth. We find the defendant guilty. I believe the judge looks pretty in his robe. I’d
Post a Comment
Read more