Christian Chameleons

There's a show on TV right now about a "regular" family that lives in a small town in Indiana.  In this family there is a teenage girl.  This girl is all but unknown by everyone outside of her family, three or four classmates, and a few others.  It's kind of a running joke - the mom will ask a teacher or coach about Sue, and they will have no idea who she is.  Funny - right?  When it happens on the show it is so awkwardly sad that it is impossible to not feel absolute compassion for this fictional character.  The amazing thing is that, somehow, amidst being rejected by nearly all of the outside world, Sue somehow turns everything around and can truly find something bright and happy through it.  She refuses to let others influence her view on life.

I wish I was like that.  I wish I could live ignorant of the world's opinion of me and simply live the life that I'm called to live.

Sometimes I care too much about how I'm perceived by others, so I change my behavior or attitude to better match what seems appropriate.  I want everyone to like me.  But as Christians we are called to stand apart- not to be chameleons who can blend in or hide out when it's convenient.  This is difficult in itself, but the problem is that is not just the world that we hide our true selves from; it can often be other believers as well.

Our fear of rejection problem can manifest itself it two difficult ways.

1.  We don't want to be rejected because of our faith among non-believers so we hide our beliefs and have started down the path of compromising (a whole topic in itself for another time).
2.  We don't want to be rejected because of our sin among believers so we hide it and don't get the help that a community can provide.


The push an pull from these two groups of people can drive you crazy.  We are trying to hide sins from one group so they accept us, and show our sins to the other so they accept us.  This can't be right.

Is it possible for us to live an honest, transparent, and uncompromising life and not be rejected by anyone?  Maybe, maybe not - but regardless of what others think - that is the life we are all called to live.

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting what is behind I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which  God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven." - Philippians 3:13 - 14

We aren't perfect yet, but we can't allow imperfections to keep us from continuing to pursue God's working in our life.  We can't  let fear of rejection from people who question our beliefs or our weaknesses to make us lose sight of the one who accepts all who are willing to come to Him. Even though, to Him, nothing is hidden.  He sees us as we are, and still loves us.   Something powerful can happen when we allow others to see what God is doing inside of us.  The question is: Can we be a people that is willing to take the risk of rejection in order to be the light of the world?