WHERE BELONGING BECOMES DANGEROUS

He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.  Luke 16:15

            My need to be accepted has taken me down some unfortunate paths.  Because I didn’t know how to connect with God, I put myself through some pretty ridiculous contortions to fit in.  I pretended to believe as the group did.  I worshipped as they worshipped.  I attended functions I had no desire to attend because I feared the repercussions.  Eventually, who I really was got lost, even to me.  I had become so homogenous with my surroundings that my identity was blurred.

            How many today have joined a group just to experience being a part of a pseudo-family?  They might have had misgivings going in, but their own needs screamed louder than their intuition.  They didn’t have the guts to say, “No, thank you.”

            I once saw a living example of one who was not pressured to perform as others expected.  At the conclusion of our home church service some years back, I watched our senior pastor turn his back to the congregation and fall on his knees in worship.  No pretense.  No awkwardness.  No sense of how much time He spent there.  With both arms raised toward heaven, He met His Father.  To serve in a church where God’s man clearly leads his people into authentic relationship with Christ was a joy.

            What do I do with my need to belong?  Come to Jesus’ Father.  He has invited me to be part of His family.  He tells me to call Him “Abba”, or “Daddy”.  Once loved and secure, I am invited to join the ranks of other secure children.  All of us are to be ourselves, yet enjoy the diversity of our extended family.  May we celebrate our uniqueness and abstain from living like everyone else just to avoid the pressure that might come from being different.  God will reward His sons and daughters who follow His call, though solitary at times, with the abounding joy of undiluted faith.

Often, I have worshipped You reservedly while wondering who was watching me.  Make me driven to go where few have gone without fearing the consequences.  Amen