I sometimes get after Emily because she thinks THE most important character trait in friends, siblings, preachers, future husbands, neighbor ladies, teachers, parents, and authors is that they be interesting.
As her mom, of course my job is to point out that not all interesting preachers actually preach the Truth, and when she someday has a child throwing up at 3 a.m., helpful and involved is going to count for a lot more in a husband than interesting.
However.
Recently I was at the Oregon Authors' table at the county fair. Sitting there with fellow writers for hours on end while the oblivious crowds are off riding the Screamer and Zipper makes for some fascinating conversation and study.
Of the ten or twelve authors I spent time with, only a few others were "overtly" Christian, with specifically religious materials to sell.
One was a warm and chuckling retired pastor, but I have to admit that I found the other "religious" authors among the least interesting to talk to. They lacked the warmth and openness and humor evident in most of the secular writers. (Paul says this is waaaay too little data to draw any sort of conclusion. Oh well. Hear me out.)
(And then there was the little episode where one of the definitely-non-religious authors packed up to leave and turned to the Christian author beside him and said, "Well, good luck to you." And the rather sour reply was, "I don't believe in luck.")
Ok, this is my take on things: maybe Emily has a point. Jesus was many things more important than "interesting," but you have to admit he was never boring. People were fascinated by him, he stood tradition on its head yet upheld the Law, he almost never said or did what people expected him to.
So maybe we his followers, who know that we are loved and forgiven and full of Spirit and hope, ought to be interesting as well. Alive, engaged, aware, curious, hopeful, surprising, warm.
And when a well-meaning sinner says "Good luck," maybe we should take it as meant and smile and say, "Thank you!"
Quote of the Day:
"I want my guy to be perfect but I also want him to be masculine."
--Emily
good points. :-) love the quote of the day... makes it sound like the two qualities don't coexist much
ReplyDeleteI so agree with this point. I am a Christian but cringe when I hear statements like "I don't believe in luck" or "I don't celebrate that day" or, my least favorites of all, "Just pray about it," and "Don't worry, God won't give you more than you can handle." (A direct misquote of scripture...)
ReplyDeleteHeard you have a new book out? Looking forward to reading it.
My mother sent me your blog address. I'm sorry I've never heard of you before 'cause I really enjoyed reading and chuckling my way through your last postings! =) I must look for your books. You have a great sense of humor and an apt turn of phrase...an unbeatable combination! Blessings to you!
ReplyDeletesorry emily, darren is already taken.
ReplyDeletebut psssst. . . he does have a younger brother.
Amen, and Amen again! And to Emily....Good luck! But have you ever thought about the fact that it's the quiet, reserved, "uninteresting" people that make the "interesting" ones stand out in the crowd? Pauline
ReplyDeleteRe, "I don't believe in luck" by an unnamed Christian who probably thought he/she was witnessing, I'm with you in finding that slightly obnoxious. We Christians try so hard to be good Christians but maybe sometimes we should just BE. Courteous, friendly and for sure not preachy. M Horst
ReplyDeleteI'm just curious, what was it about the author who said "good luck" that made you call him a sinner?
ReplyDeleteTo Anonymous--Jesus said, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." This guy would never have categorized himself as righteous, as I recall, so I guess that makes him a sinner. Now I need to add a disclaimer that I know very well we are all sinners and can only be righteous through Jesus.
ReplyDelete