| WHAT 'IN CROWD' are you in? Everyone it seems is | | | | gets carried away with the awe of Christ and the |
| part of one in-crowd or other, and some assimilate to | | | | euphoria that takes place, then years later they |
| more than one. It's the phenomenon of fellowship; it's | | | | actually find out what the cost of discipleship is. Is it a |
| the theory of association; it's the practice of | | | | trick? |
| membership. What "club" do you belong to? What | | | | Die hard Christians might say, 'Who are you to |
| defines you? What defines me? I'm Christian... I'm a | | | | question what the Lord is doing in the hearts of the |
| family person... I'm part of the OSH fraternity... I'm a | | | | yet-to-be-converted'? That is a reasonable question. |
| learner... these things categorize me, among other | | | | But that is not the question I am asking-I'm simply calling |
| things. | | | | people of all persuasions, whether that be behavioral |
| Participating in a behavioral safety workshop recently I | | | | safety gurus or evangelists, to act with integrity and |
| found it fascinating observing the body language of | | | | not get in the way of the natural process. People must |
| 'converts' trying to convert the unconverted-to see the | | | | make their own decisions. |
| scepticism of the unconverted with the 'we're doing it | | | | There ought to be no coercion. When we coerce and |
| anyway' mindset, and to then see the counter view | | | | it isn't based in truth we stand to upset and hurt people |
| scepticism of the converted when the unconverted | | | | through that sort of deception. |
| talked... it seemed to me that there was little trust | | | | How do we stack up with the 'in crowd-out crowd' |
| between the groups when on that particular subject, | | | | thing? Are we prejudiced against a type of person or |
| but what existed was a mutual respect of the counter | | | | group of people purely because they're at odds with |
| position-an openness to dialog. And this lasts so long | | | | our belief system? We may not behave in ways that |
| as there is hope of a conversion, and realistically, there | | | | reinforce this, but our hearts often transmit more than |
| is always hope of that, as the converted never really | | | | we would like-we can't hide what we really feel. |
| lose hope of converting the yet-to-be-converted. | | | | Is there a cost that someone or a group bears based |
| It sort of reminds me of the Christian 'church-going' | | | | on our prejudices? Are we part of an 'in crowd' that |
| faith. When there is the hint that people are | | | | only completely accepts people when they've |
| investigating faith we're very encouraging and we | | | | conformed to our systems of thinking. I believe this is |
| never lose hope they might receive the Lord. | | | | not how Jesus lived. I believe people followed him |
| But it does make me wonder a little of our very | | | | because he oozed compassion. He loved |
| human propensity to massage and manipulate | | | | unconditionally-even his enemies-at all times. |
| situations so people can be most encouraged to | | | | Now, he is Integrity. He calls me to the very same |
| assimilate. It's the type of situation where a person | | | | integrity. |