Serve God

2 Corinthians 6:8
We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. (NLT)

I grew up in a godly home. My parents brought me to church every Sunday and they went to a midweek service on Wednesday evenings. Their friends were also involved in church, but not always the same one my parents went to. And they had a few friends that Dad new from work. But it was not a religious life. It was a God centered life. I thought that is what everyone had until I got out on my own.

Years ago, when I was first married, I can remember thinking it strange when people would be so religious. That is what I called it, but now I know the difference between being godly and being religious. We are to be who we are in Christ and that does not have to come across to others as being religious.

So you were normal if you went to church and religious if you stood on a street corner and preached about Jesus. Feeding the homeless at a shelter was weird and part of that religious stuff. Only those Jesus people did that. They were those Born Again folks who raised their hands and sang far out songs about Jesus. I did not know about having a relationship with Jesus.

We do tend to stay away from those who are unlike us. It is easier that way. And if unlike us they must we weird and wrong. We live in a box with walls made from our life experiences and the teaching we have sat under. Even entire countries have the same box mentality.

My parents did not have God in a box, but I did. Logic put God in a Sunday box even though I believed He was everywhere. If I ignored that fact, I could keep Him in His box. I tried to live my worldly life and even stayed away from the God box for years. It was too religious. It would bring me too far away from those I called friend.

Now I know that what I want is for God to call me friend. I want a closer relationship with Him. I want to serve Him every day and to be open to hear His call-open to meet the opportunities He places in my path.