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Posts: 942
Mar 24 13 11:50 PM
D3l1v3ryb01 wrote:Speaking in spiritual terms, I just recently shared this story as to one major reason I grow my beard. I'm a Christian, and I've attended many churches looking for one that genuinely lived what they believe. The last church I attended I was with for about a year and a half. A non denominated cowboy church. Well, I had been doing a lot of personal study in the Word, and had read about how Jesus told His followers that they would be persecuted and even killed for following Him, and even warned all future followers of the same things. Now, I had decided I wanted to grow a beard. It was simply something I wanted to do, with no real significance or value to it other than that I wanted to try. Well, it was frowned upon by the church, and I was even openly made fun of in church for it. Granted, they didn't intentionally intend to hurt me, it was no different than a family member would joke about it with you. But they never realize how badly that hurts, and it hurts because they are like family. Our pastor used to "open the mic" up for anyone who felt lead to share any scriptures, or revelations with the church before each sermon. Well, one day I decided to share something with them. I walked up to the front of the church, and stood in front of the mic. I'm not one for conversation, let alone speaking in front of people like that. But I told them that I had recently been studying the warning Jesus gave to His followers of the persecutions and dangers that would face them along their journey. I told them about how we as Christians must face the world, being called liars and hypocrites because of those who claim Christianity but then fail to live it and shame the true faith. I told them about how we will be judged harshly simply for something we believe in. I told them that I feel I can relate to what Christ was warning them about. And that I feel my growing a beard will from that point on be a barometer for my faith in Christ. They all sort of chuckled and laughed at me at this point, but I continued. I said no really, I started growing this beard because it was something I wanted to do, something I believed in. And I've received nothing but persecution and judgement because of it. The dislikes and disagreements of others with my choice has been openly expressed ever since. The room got quiet and some of the people stopped looking at me, literately avoiding eye contact. I ended it with this. You know, I think that from now on, the length of my beard will represent the amount of faith I have in Jesus rather than in man. For the longer my beard, the greater the persecution. Just as the more I express my faith in Christ, the more I will be persecuted for my faith. I told them that no Christian is perfect, we make mistakes, fall and stumble just like any other human being. No one mans sin is worse than the sins of another, and we should not judge another because of our disagreements with their choices and actions. So though my beard may be short at times, but long at others, it will always be constantly growing, just as my faith in Christ. Nobody ever said anything to me about that little speech, but that wasn't what I was gunning for. I had prayed that I get it across to these people that they were being very hypocritical in the way they lived their lives. Judging others before first judging themselves. I don't know if you'll find strength in what I'm trying to share with you. But I trust that you'll receive the encouragement you need my brother. Stay strong, and keep us posted.
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