vive_la_revolution - Page 240

Popularity...
It's a word that everyone from 1st grade to college is probably familiar with.
Let's be honest, this contest of who's-the-prettiest/hottest, who-dresses-the-best, or who-is-so-perfect isn't pretty. The entire idea of popularity itself inspires some things that we can probably all agree are not good.
1. Depression
Popularity isn't just a game. Both popular and unpopular alike struggle with negativity. Those at the bottom of the chain feel left out, and they're treated See More▼ like they're worthless. The popular kids struggle with making sure they're good enough. I read about someone in particular who got so obsessed with just trying to be good enough for her friends (which her friends, in turn, were doing for her) that she literally started considering suicide. Then she met Jesus, and now she's happy raising a Christian family with 19 kids, three of which are married now.
2. Gossip
Probably the most obvious. OK, before we get started, because I know a lot of people are going to argue with me on this (I did not long ago), I'm going to copy and paste the definition of gossip.
Dictionary.com:
"noun
1.idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others:
'...the endless gossip about Hollywood stars.'"
So gossip is basically talking about other people's business. MYOB? Irrelevant.
So if you don't want people prying into your private life, what right do you have to pry into theirs?
3. Negativity
If there is any system where one person is deemed better than another, than the person considered not-as-good will feel left out or hurt. And in the long run, it may fester inside that person until he/she hurts the other one back. In this scenario, everyone gets hurt.
4. American Spirit
In the political arena, America struggles against one person being the sole ruler of anything in government. So why does this situation of feudalism thrive in the culture of this generation? This girl is so popular that anyone will do almost anything to get her attention and join the "elite" group of populars. This gives that one girl power over everybody else. It gives that single person control over the rest. This totally contradicts the idea of American freedom.

So, in conclusion, popularity isn't a good thing. But it's not just going to go away. And if it does, something else is going to rise to replace it. People aren't perfect. We just aren't. But Jesus is. With him, we can learn, we can try, we can change. Through him is the only way to true life, everlasting joy. He's offering us a gift. On Christmas Day, do you refuse to even believe that that big box with the gift you've been wanting doesn't even exist? Of course not. So why in the world would you refuse eternal life?

I want to apologize about earlier. In my first post about God, I got a little too carried away arguing about evolution. I shouldn't have, because it's not important enough. What is important is believing in the Gospel and Jesus Christ and God. Arguing about petty things like evolution vs. Creationism wastes time and is not shining a light into the world, like Jesus tells Christians to do in Matthew 5:14-16. So, again, I apologize.

Has something happened in your life that you blame God for? That's so terrible you hate him for it? I can't say that I myself can relate, but I have friends and family that will remain anonymous who have been through such terrible things that it's a huge (or maybe not so huge) surprise that they are such strong Christians today. Loved ones (including parents) dying. Being abused. All kinds of things. The biggest question out there: "Why does God let bad things happen?" Or maybe See More▼ it's actually "Why does God make bad things happen?" Just to clarify, God doesn't MAKE bad things happen, he LETS them happen. The devil, is the cause of all evil, temptation, etc. Of course, he's only an ex-angel, so he has to ask God for permission for every bad thing he causes. God lets some bad things happen.
But why? For Christians, hard times are meant to strengthen our faith. God never gives us more than we can handle. Hard times make us run to God in prayer. He helps us, but not always in the way we want it to go. He can see every detail, and sometimes our bad times will even bring others to Christ.
But why do so many bad things happen to atheists? People who don't believe in God? Sometimes tribulations will send them running to anything that might help them. Have you ever had something terrible happening to you? You have a loved one dying, and you're praying fervently, but that loved one still dies. Why? You ask. You're just livid at God for failing you. But he has a reason for everything he does. Every little thing is to help us reach Christ. Tough times are meant to strengthen us. Like in 1 Peter 1:7: "These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
And sometimes bad times are warnings. I don't mean for this to sound like God's iron fist is coming down, pointing fingers at you. Because when I say this, I mean that God is warning you that you need to become a Christian.
And sometimes hardships are punishments. God still loves you and wants you to become his daughter/son, but it's your choice. And there are consequences for sin. At school or work, there are rules, right? If you break those rules, there are punishments. There are consequences for sin. Most of the time, God gives us grace and mercy. Why? Because he loves us.

Another thing I left out: You can't be in between Christian and not a Christian. "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." (Matthew 12:30) Also, there is "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!" (Revelation 3:15) And, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God See More▼ and money." Or God and anything else. I'm not saying that everything you do has to revolve around God, because that's not true. God is your Father, and he loves you. He likes it when you run things you want to do by him first by praying, but he doesn't want you to be miserable. But you do need to be loyal to him. He needs to be the #1 thing on your priority list, even above yourself. That doesn't mean he doesn't want you to have fun. But when something is wrong, even if it's enjoyable, then he definitely is not OK with it.
In conclusion, you can't "kind of" be a Christian. You're either with God or against him. I don't mean to offend anyone, and if I've hurt anyone's feelings, I apologize. I understand if you don't like what I'm saying. But this is the most important part of your life. Whether or not you're a Christian will change your life. Eternally.