I’ve always been different. A salmon swimming upstream. It’s not that I like being an oddball; it’s just that I’m determined to follow my convictions rather than follow the crowd. Inevitably, that leaves me doing weird stuff like homebirths, homeschooling, unconventional eating habits, and seeking alternatives to organized religion.
Being a follower of Christ in itself puts me in the minority. I don’t mind much because I don’t get my sense of worth from fitting in. Yet, I can see that being in the minority doesn’t mean that I should isolate myself from those who are different from me, hiding from the world and only associating with those who share my beliefs. That’s what the majority does, but that’s not what Jesus did. He hung out with the tax collectors and prostitutes rather than the respected members of society. He wasn’t afraid to reach out to the hurting world and share their burdens.
The majority concentrate on big accomplishments; the minority on being faithful in small things. Mainstream religious thinking encourages following formulas for a quick solution to problems, rather than teaching a moment-by-moment dependence on Christ. It seems more popular to value knowledge and the law than to value love and grace. Most are busy doing, while only a few seem to discover the freedom in just being.
The majority of people believe that some are more worthy than others. A minority believe that we all fall short, and yet we are all worthy of love. Most people are intersted in following the latest popular teaching, while a much smaller number follow the Teacher.
There was a time when I was more a part of the majority, but, thanks to the grace of God in my life, I’m increasingly relating more to the minority. I’m so grateful for that. Once again, I’m marching to a different beat, but I’m glad to be in some excellent company.