Religious Etiquette

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are." Matt 23:15 NIV

Before I got saved I was a wild drug addict, over the top and radical. I was definitely a force to be reckoned with. Everything I did I took it to the extreme, and my first encounter with God was no different. I had an experience with God comparable to that of Paul on the road to Damascus. He knocked me off my high horse flat of my back--I had to be lifted off the floor!

After I met Christ I became a radical young Christian with a wild faith and an extreme walk. I would pray anytime anywhere for anyone! I was prepared to anoint you with oil if you were sick, or give you my testimony if you were standing in line with me at wal-mart for any length of time. I would run to the altar during worship and just weep in His presence, crying out to my Father! I LOVED EVERYONE & accepted them 100% inviting them to church (this scared the old saints to death)....I didn't "know" that some of these things were considered rude or unacceptable according to the unwritten rules of religious etiquette.

These were things that an immature "baby" Christian would do...If I wanted to be used and in the "grown-up" class I would have to straighten up and stop all this non-sense. No one actually said anything, but the disapproving looks and the embarrassment on the faces of the "mature" saints were all I needed to know that I was being foolish and I had to grow up so I could fit in. So I regretfully buffered my passion, toned down my worship, and prayed a little quieter.

It wasn't long before I looked around and the white gloved aristocrats were nowhere to be found...and unfortunately neither was the radical young Christian girl who was so zealous, and passionate about worshipping and serving God. She had become bound by "religious etiquette" I went from a passionate young Christian who was in love with Christ to an arrogant pias religious conformist.

It was then that I decided that this world needs a few more radical Christians with a wild unbridled faith and a lot less conditioned débutante's. I am so in love with Christ and I decided that no one would ever silence my proclamations ever again! I decided to be that "baby" Christian that is crazy about my King and not afraid or ashamed to tell the world...or a rusty old religious Christian...

I'm grateful that I have the wisdom and character of a mature Christian---but I cherish the spirit of a baby Christian. Today I have a childlike excitement and a new love that might shock some people and break EVERY single rule of religious etiquette...but I don't care!!! I will WORSHIP like a child...LOVE like a child....BELIEVE like a child.... DANCE like a child and I will TALK to my Daddy as long and loud as I want! I will not allow myself to become bound by religion---I'm throwing etiquette out the window!

GOD is LOVE and I WILL LOVE as He loves--PERIOD...YOU will NOT bully me any longer, or silence me I don't care how many times you try to shut me up--I am  STILL a Christian--over the top and radical...a force to be reckoned with! 

Just Bb