Dev-O: Hanging out with the “wrong” crowd

I was thinking about how most of the time, when we see people who are different from us- tattooed, pierced, multicolor-haired people, drug users, alcoholics, or even just people who have issues that are a little less socially accepted- our initial reaction would be to stay away from them. This is what we’re told to do, because they could be dangerous, and really, what good would it do us to be with people like that? They’re different. Their lives are probably a mess.

It is easier to do this, to stay away from people of that sort, and a lot safer too. Better to stay with our Christian friends, at least with them we’re sure nothing bad will happen to us.

But think about when Jesus was here. Who did he spend a lot of time with? He hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes, and he didn’t stay away from lepers. He spent time with people who were looked down on by society. He didn’t look good for it, but he did it anyway.

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17

We weren’t put on this earth to be comfortable, or to be around people who already know God. I mean sure, that’s OK, and we should fellowship with each other, but we’re also here to share God with people who don’t know Him yet. We won’t find these people in church, we won’t find them among our Christian friends. We might find them in an uncomfortable situation, and conversations with them might not be easy. Being seen with them might give us a bad reputation.

Jesus didn’t have it easy either, and he didn’t look too good in the eyes of the well-to-do of those times. No one said it was going to be easy for us. And people might even look at us in a bad way for being with the wrong crowd. But it’s with this crowd that we can be useful.

God doesn’t need us to share our faith to people who’ve already heard it. He needs us to go to the ones who haven’t, to the ones who need it real bad.

**Check out the Wildfire site for other Dev-O entries by other awesome people.

We Find Ways.

“My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”

And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8

If the person you liked told you they wanted to talk to you, what would you do? After blushing furiously and getting over the giggling fit (and the boys react violently, “We do not giggle!” Lies.) you’d probably drop everything and go, right? And if they texted you and you didn’t have load, you’d run to the nearest AutoLoad place just so you can reply. When your friends call you and say, “UY, may kwento ako.” even if you were studying for your exams, you’d stop and take the call, yes? (Because it’s an excuse to stop studying, haha.)

We’ll find time somewhere in our schedules to talk to our friends, no matter how busy we are. We find ways. Para na tayong BDO. (HAHA, sorry. Just pretend you found that funny.)

But what about when God comes up to you and says, “Hey, let’s talk.” What do you do then?

“Wait lang God, kailangan ko mag-aral para sa Physics.” (hahaha, Physics. sigh.) or,

“I’m still talking to (insert friend’s name).. Just give me ten minutes?”

Then the ten minutes becomes one hour, and after that you remember, Oh right, I have to study for Physics. Sorry God, maybe tomorrow.”

Suddenly our being busy became an excuse.

If we’re willing to go out of our way to spend time with our friends, what more to spend time with God?

He’s running the entire universe and still has time to spare for us. What’s our excuse for not having time for Him?