::jesus was NOT a theologian::

:photo:

"a friend of mine, a fine story-teller, remarked to me, 'Jesus was not a theologian, He was God who told stories.' Yes. God who told stories."

-madeleine l'engle

i am not a theologian. i often find myself intimidated when people start using words like doctrine and eschatology and apologetics and the "have to believe's" of christianity. i think it can divide and cause discord and end friendships. actually i don't think it can, i know it can. i have seen it first hand.

but a story?
a story unites. 
there is something about someone saying "me too" that brings rest to a weary soul.

i have a story.

i have a story about growing up without a dad.
i have a story about being raised by a single mom that raised 3 kids by herself.
i have a story about being a teenager seeking love making good choices and bad ones.
i have a story about dating the wrong guys.
i have a story about marrying the right guy and still being in love 8 years later.
i have a story about motherhood changing my life forever.
i have a story about a girls bible study in my home that taught me more than it could have ever taught them.
i have a story about church politics and the hurt it causes.
i have a story about jealousy.
i have a story about friendships- some good, some bad, some eternal.
i have a story about discovering god's involvement in every day life.

i have a story.
we all do.
i will share many of mine here over time but today....

i'd love to hear a piece of your story.

will you share??

::you might NOT be a christian if::

***

I had an encounter with a man last year that has kind of rocked my world. He witnessed to me. He was pushy and aggressive and was not content with any of my answers to his ridiculous questions that were supposed to prove that I was indeed heaven bound.



No good came from the conversation. I left frustrated for having been cornered by a man that seemed to have no concern for my spiritual well-being. I left feeling like I was a conquest. A notch on his belt.


However, this encounter started the following thought process.


My relationship with my awesome husband, Jacob, is special and unique. We have a relationship that is unlike any other. No one else has a relationship with Jacob that looks like my relationship with Jacob. He is mine. I love him. I cherish him. I appreciate things about him that no one else can appreciate. We have inside jokes. He knows what I am going to say before I say it. We have special memories that only we share. For instance, there is this one song that makes me smile when it comes on because it takes me to a happy place...a moment of silliness that we shared. {I bet he could tell you what song I'm referring to if you asked him}.


If someone came along and told me that my relationship was not real or genuine or in depth because my relationship with Jacob doesn't look like their relationship with Jacob, I would be very upset. Livid even. Because I know how much I love Jacob. How I long to know him more every day. How I go out of my way to make him happy; to spend time with him.


But no one would do that, would they? That would be...


Over-the-top.
Out-of-line.
Obnoxious.
Intrusive.
Obsurd.


So why would our relationship with Jesus be any different? Why does one persons relationship with Jesus have to look like another? Peter's relationship with Jesus did not look like Mary's relationship…you know, with the denial and all, yet they both loved Jesus very much and Jesus loved them in return.


It makes me think of Jeff Foxworthy {i know, i know...where am i going with this right? Jesus....Jeff Foxworthy???}


But he did that whole stand-up routine:
"You might be a redneck if..."


In this respect it would be:
"You might NOT be a christian if..."


you don't read your bible every single day
you don't pray on your knees for at least an hour
you don't attend church every time the doors are open
you read certain versions of the bible
you watch certain shows
you read certain books
you listen to certain music
you dance
you drink certain beverages
you vote a certain way
you ask questions about faith
you doubt
you go certain places
you are friends with certain people


One person's relationship may not look like everyone else’s.
and that's okay.


[Relationship :: connection, association, involvement]


One persons’ connection, association and involvement with Jesus is not going to look like another persons connection, association and involvement with Jesus…


and that is okay.