Christians having a good time

Sorry for the hiatus.

I have often heard that people need to see that Christians know how to have a good time. I agree that many sour-faced Christians have made it seem like the Christian life is only slightly better than perpetual root canal. They can take something that they have struggled with in the past, make a new rule for themselves (and everyone else) and then judge everyone in sight. Sometimes I catch myself doing that, don't you?

So some well-intentioned grace-lovers swung the pendulum as far as possible and came up with the idea that if the world just saw Christians having a good time that people who felt judged by religious people would convert to Christ in droves. It almost seems to make sense (because I want it to). But it doesn't; and it is runs completely contrary to Scripture.

But alas, we have now seen the truth that this "good time" principle is actually an embarrassment to Christians everywhere, and an offense to Christ Himself. Will I really affect someone with my "good time"? I am trying to imagine the moment in my life when that happened, and it's not coming. When I went to the amusement park? Saw the Team win? Shot a low round? Ran a fast time? THere can be glory for God in some of those moments if I am focusing on caring for others through these moments, but I don't think that anyone cares if I am having a good time.

Instead, I believe that the world will take note of our Savior when they see that we rejoice in Christ no matter what kind of trial we are facing today. So many times I find that I want to hide my pain inside a stupor of "having fun" instead of dealing with the problem with Christlike humility and choosing to rejoice in Him (read: "taking my faith seriously").

I would say that the world around us is sick of observing Christians who mostly want to "have a good time," and would rather see them "continually happy because their joy comes from Christ."

This is not a rant against fun. It's a soul-searching effort to get to the core of reality. I don't expect to change the world by having fun in their presence. I expect the world to keep hating my Savior (doesn't it pain you to read that?). At every turn where they hate Him, I will love Him deeper until the world sees that I am serious about loving Him whether I live or I die. Oh that I would choose joy again today.

Now that is a good time!