The other day, Jimmy was watching "Family Guy" while I was puttering around the house making dinner/doing dishes or whatever else was distratcting me for the evening. I was really only half-watching, but what transpired in that episode really resonated wtih me.
Lois, had a "girl crush" on the newest news anchor. After meeting her once in public, the two miraculously become BFF's and spill their secrets to each other. Later, it comes out on the news that Lois, a revered woman for her roles within the community and her church, had once been in a porno movie. It comes out that the anchor was actually a girl Lois went to high school with and used to tease and this was her version of revenge.
After it came out on the news that Lois, had been in a porno movie while in college, trying to earn a few extra bucks, the entire community turned on her. People pointed, whispered and ignored her. She and her family tried to attend church and were run out. This is the part that really struck home with me.
What greater example of how we as God's people need to be respectful and open to people. You may not know about someone's past, and if you did, your opinion of them shouldn't matter. What matters is who they are TODAY.
Our pastor regularly preaches on salvation and it's not we who are in church who necessarily need the salvation, but it's the drug dealers, prostitutes, alchoholics and other lost souls in the world who need saving. It's our job as Christians to talk to them and introduce them to Jesus. Notice, I didn't say "bring them to church." This is another thing our pastor preaches about. So often we hear people say, "come with me to church, and your life will get better!" Not necessarily...and if it does, it's not becuase you attended church. It's more than likely because of the relationship with Christ that was fostered through your attendance.
Many times people get discouraged from pursuing Christ because things get hard. I can attest to this...growing up, we didn't regularly attend church, we didn't discuss God and life was pretty good. I had an amazingly, boring, average life growing up and I loved it. Looking back now, I realize how uneventful it was - how I was almost sheltered.
Moving to Oklahoma and being on my own, with no friends, no family, no one to turn to, naturally, I turned to God and began to foster a realtionship with Him. I have faced more challenges in the last 5 years that I have really pursued my relationship wtih Him than I ever have.
For example, many of you know about Jimmy's accident. Many would have thrown in the towel (or so I'm told) faced with this type of challenge. Then came the challenge of recovery - getting married in the hospital, continuing to live with his parents, finishing our home, etc. etc. etc. The challenges go on and on. But it is through those challenges we can enjoy the boring, average, uneventful life we once had and again long for.
I love my life and I am so thankful for the lessons I have learned and continue to learn as a Christian Woman of God. I am so thankful for His salvation and that in this life, I'm not perfect, but in His eyes, I am and can be through the shed blood of Jesus.
I feel like I'm rambling - probably because it is after midnight. I just had to get that off my chest that I think Family Guy may have actually had a worthy lesson. And I just wanted to express my appreciation for healing and Salvation from the Lord.
Good night.
