Upside Down World

Growing up, I could have been classified with what most people call sheltered. I went to a Christian school, attended a church where my dad was on staff, and spent every waking moment with family. Meals were had together, prayers were prayed together, and for a small time, we all watched tv together in the living room. With a family of seven, compromise was learned early on. We were even so close in age that many camps, disciple nows, and other youth retreats were spent with siblings.

When I was 14, I remember one trip that our youth took to go canoeing. I was so enthralled with the example set by my older brother. Back then, my world was a Christian world. I didn't feel separated. Jesus was at my school, in my classes, in all the homes of friends, and constantly in the conversations at our home. So many things happened, good or bad, and I was surrounded by people who could and would put out God's hand in all of it.

Junior year of high school I moved to a public school. I was so scared, but soon, I found a group of Christians. Girls, who like me, wore Christian shirts and carried around their Bibles for quiet times in class.

I never once had to think how God would fit into my world. There was always room in my bag for my Bible, space on my wall for a verse, and a word of wisdom from my mama. Jesus lived all around me and I never questioned it. Because it was all I knew.

However, I fear, times are changing. There are more and more cases of Christianity being removed from places. More stories of Christians getting the short end of the stick because of religious freedom. In a world of political correctness, Jesus has all but become a bad word.

AND WE LET IT HAPPEN. This once Christian nation is slowly becoming a nation full of people scared to speak up. So often we find ourselves bending over backwards to keep the peace instead of standing up for what we know is right. Or blindly giving into things, only to realize afterwards it wasn't what we expected.

We've bought into so many lies that we believe we have to have two separate worlds. We have Christian music, Christian schools, and Christian movies. There are Christian books and Christian stores. However, it really wasn't that long ago, that society demanded a different standard. Mainstream media was family friendly, moral, tasteful, and borderline in line with the Bible. There were scandalous things, but as a whole, Christian media and mainstream media were basically one in the same.

These days we as Christians need to band together. Support Christians who are in the mainstream media. Send a unified message that we demand more of that in this world. Spend our money at the box office supporting truly Christian films. Follow people on facebook who are Christians and speak up for us. I love sending them messages of support, whether they read them or not. Fight for the right to have Bibles in school. Encourage your children to do the same. Talk openly with your family about why this is important.

The time for passiveness is over. Jesus made people uncomfortable,  the disciples made people uncomfortable,  and the Bible makes us uncomfortable. If we are trying to make everyone around us comfortable,  are we following in His footsteps? Are we truly doing the will of the Lord? Or are we just trying to make it from this life to heaven without making people upset? Because if that is the case...maybe we're doing it all wrong!

I'd rather make people uncomfortable now, that for my grandchildren to be raised in a world where Jesus is a bad word. In a place where churches are there to make you feel good. To have them raised in a world that doesn't step on toes. If we get to that point, we have failed. It's time to stand up now before it gets too far gone. It's time to band together as Christians and demand to be heard!

Unless we stop standing up for our beliefs,  we will soon be living in a world turned completely upside down. We will lose the few Christian families on tv we watch, movies like Fireproof and Courageous won't be made, and the few Christian artists who have music in the mainstream will lose their footings.

I want my family to be raised in a world like I was. Where there was always room for Christ. Is there room for Christ in your world? Do you want Him in every aspect of your world? Or do you want Him in your home, but not in your movies? In certain tv shows, but not in your music? It's time to evaluate where we have space for Him. We set the example for the world. For our upside society to accept Him into it, we have to accept Him into every aspect of our world as well.