Not A Popularity Contest

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." -John 15:18Being a Christian has not always been easy because there are times when being a friend to Christ has meant making an enemy in the world. Like most teens my age, I wanted to taste and see what life was about.Like many of my peers, I dabbled in drugs, alcohol and other behaviors that showed my youthful immaturity. However, as spiritual wisdom grew, I eventually set those things aside because I finally realized what a dishonor they were, not only to myself, and my family, but to my Heavenly Father who I loved above all things. Unfortunately, choosing righteousness over sinfulness and foolishness caused me to lose some of my friends, but this was the sacrifice I was willing to make for doing the right thing. Thankfully, I was wise enough to realize at the time that if a person was truly my friend, they would accept me for who I was, not only for who they might wish me to be.

Later in my life when I landed a job as a columnist for a local newspaper, the views I shared which upheld Christian principles were not always warmly received by readers. It was hard to read some of their public criticisms, but I remembered that they were not personally attacking me, but the message I was sharing: God's word.

Now a mother of teens, I still find myself having to stand up against popular word views such as casual sex is no big deal, and using vulgarities is cool. As a parent, I can't always force my young adults to obey, but I CAN stand firmly on the ground which is my foundation. And that foundation, my dear friends, is the word of God.

No one said it would always be fun and easy to be a Christian, and as the above verse reveals, there may even be times we are hated or persecuted for our faith. However, as I, and millions of other Believer's can attest to, the spiritual rewards are far greater. Through my own obedience to Him, doors and opportunities have been opened to me, that I don't think ever could have occurred without His intervention.

If you are considering reaching out to God and want to know more about how God and godliness can make a difference in your life, ask those people you know who are already Christians. Listen to how God has enriched and blessed their life in miraculous ways.

Invite God in to your life today!

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Contributed by Melanie Schurr (Copyright (c)2003 Melanie Schurr) Melanie Schurr is author of "Ecstatic Living Ecstatic Loving: How to have more peace and joy in marriage, and life in general by walking in harmony with God," and "Son Salutations: A refreshing collection of modern inspirations for those who seek God each day." For more information, visit her web page at www.angelfire.com/mi/melschurr