To Be A Little Different

The crazy people were in the Park Blocks today. And by "crazy people", I don't mean the mentally instable. I mean these people--

Some of you might be thinking, "That's awesome! They are acting unashamed of their faith and preaching the gospel on the streets." 

But no. Quite the opposite. Because Portland doesn't know Christianity as Jesus. Portlanders know Christianity and Jesus as "the crazy people-haters." Portlanders are well aware of these people and their tactics. Portlanders' responses are not interest or heart-change. Their response is either walking past quickly or yelling back openly. And the street preachers' responses to such are no better; they fall to faulty arguments and sweeping generalizations and treat people with no respect. 

The Park Blocks are public green space that runs down the middle of campus. As public property, they are a free speech area. Many different groups come to rally their cause. As I walked into the Park Blocks this afternoon and saw and heard the ruckus, my heart was saddened. I meandered in and out of the crowd, talking with students. "What do you think of what that guy is saying?" I would ask. Then patiently listen as they spat out anger and bitterness. Afterward, I would be able to share with them about the life Jesus brought me--not just death and judgment. Death is Satan's thing: judgment is God's thing. Life, through His mercy, is my thing.  My job is to share hopeful truth. And my desire is to share through meaningful, respectful relationships with those who want answers. But I don't have answers. It is tempting for me to get out my spiritual hammer and nail people by telling them all the things they are doing that aren't right. But I'm learning that always backfires, and I end up hitting my own fingers. I'm just as imperfect, only I have the Spirit living within me to give me life. It's all Him. Not me. 

As I talked with people in the crowd, I met Macy and Jared, Josh and David--all students who needed Jesus. Each of them left me with the comment, "You are a different Christian." I thought back to one of my first conversations with my agnostic roommate in which she made the comment. "We were worried you were going to be like the people in the Park Blocks. We thought you were going to be weird. But you're a different kind of weird than we thought." 

How are you being "a different kind of weird" in your cultural context? I would love to hear your stories!