Curious Customs

We have the some pretty odd traditions during the holidays. On Easter, the holiday that I thought was intended for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, has turned in to a radically different character. A large, sentient bunny gives baskets of treats to little children. However, there is a catch. The baskets are full of plastic grass that you find in your vacuum for months to come and the treats are incased in plastic shells and foil. After receiving the baskets, the children have to search for colored eggs that were hidden by the bunny. To top it off, the children are dressed like tiny executives and characters from Little Women and they have to wear these costumes to church. Christmas also tends to leave me dumbfounded. To elevate the memory of the birth of the Christ within our minds, we cut down evergreens and put them in our living rooms. We cover these trees with easily broken glass spheres, statuettes of totally unrelated subjects like gingerbread men and deer, and potentially delicious cookies we turned in to plastic in third grade. Then, we hang large socks from the fireplace mantel and fill them with candy? Really? Last night, we removed the innards of large squashes and carved shapes in to them. Then, we put tiny candles in the squashes and took photographs of them. Do we seem completely insane to the parts of the world that don’t follow these traditions?
Christians have to be different from those who don’t follow Christ and don’t recognize sin as harmful. We really do need to be separate, as stated in 2 Cortinthians 6:17. This doesn’t mean we belong to an exclusive cult where we do whatever we can to exclude outsiders. It means that we have to make major improvements in our lives when we decide to call ourselves Christians. Attending church services is one of our greatest rights but it only serves to bring us together, sharpen us, and give us the opportunity to worship together. Do people know you are a Christian when you exit the building? Are you participating in the same conversations, actions, and thought processes of everyone else or do you reflect the person of Jesus? 1 Thessalonians 5:6 states that we can’t be asleep any longer. We have to be alert. The commands of God and the teachings of Christ aren’t always going to make us the most popular people, but they will make our lives great.

Yes, Another Roller Coaster Illustration

Roller coasters are some of the greatest feats of physics and engineering that man has ever known. They reach incredibly high heights, ludicrous speeds, and perform dazzling maneuvers all while keeping one strapped in with a common seat belt and lap bar that hopefully clicks in to place. A few rides attempt gimmicks such as keeping one standing up, seated with one’s legs flying freely or keeping one’s entire body parallel to the coaster to simulate flying like a super hero. The experience can be exciting, exhilarating, and occasionally a little painful. As well as it worked for Noah, there are some things that should never be made out of wood. While there is enjoyment to be had on a wooden roller coaster, a quick survey tells me that an encounter with a wooden roller coaster is very similar to coming across a group of school bullies or mob enforcers which one is in conflict with. If a major manufacturer started producing wooden cars, you wouldn’t see a lot of people rushing out to purchase one. That’s all I’m saying. As terrified as I was of “thrill rides” up until high school, I enjoy them very much in the present. It not very often that one is taken to heights above 100 feet and rushed forward through loops at speeds above 80 miles per hour. I will take the feeling of weightlessness any time I can get it, even if it does mean waiting an hour or two. I highly recommend that you do the same.
As often as this illustration has been used, I still believe that life can be like a roller coaster. It begins with patience. Colossians 1:11 tells us to persevere and be patient. The ride is full of thrills and excitement. John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came so that our lives can be abundant. We are meant to experience the beauty and joy that God has provided for us. If we really sit and think about it, there is so much for us to enjoy. There is also a fair share or pain in life. In addition to the aforementioned waiting that is required, we all face low points in our lives. We loose loved ones, loose jobs, and see what we think to be opportunity passing us by. In my life of 28 years, 364 days (hint!, hint!), I have been deeply depressed and hopeless at various points in my life. However, I know that I and everyone else must do what we are told to do in Isaiah 40:31. We have to wait on the Lord. Then, we can fly like eagles! We won’t be weary! We will have all the strength that we need! These notions are exciting to me. Just remember that to experience the thrills of life, one has to wait on God and in the meantime, follow his commands.