Why is it that only people in the desert who are spaced out on some sort of hallucinogenic drug have ever seen a UFO (unidentified flying object) or have been abducted by aliens? You would think that as long as aliens have been secretly observing us that they would eventually stop and talk to someone normal. Maybe that is the problem . . . . . they can't find one (Ha Ha!). I don't believe in green men with big eyes exploring our planet or planning a hostile takeover, but I have seen aliens before. They are called Christians. 1 Peter 2:11-12 says that, "You are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls. Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world." If you are a Christian, you should not act like someone who is not one. It is perfectly acceptable to share common interests, foods, sports teams, etc. with unbelievers. That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about how we live our lives and what our goals are. Do we strive to achieve the work that Jesus has charged us to do, which is share His love and His incredible story with the world or is it all about us? Before you nod your head in agreement, do your actions back that up? Look, there is nothing wrong with having nice things, a good job, a big house, big bank account, or expensive car. If God has blessed you with any of those things, thank God for them everyday and enjoy them. If those things take priority over God's priorities and you are not giving God what He calls for and deserves, then that is where things gets out of whack. Peter warns us not to get to comfortable in this world. We need to have a "tent mentality" without actually leaving in a tent. A tent is temporary. Its intent is not to stay in one location for an extended period of time. That should be our mindset as believers in this world. We are way too comfortable with our corrupt condition. We need to understand that in the grand scheme of things, our life is very short. Everything that we accumulate throughout our life will belong to someone else when we die. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be successful or having a good career that provides for your family, but don't let material possessions or a thirst for power overcome your desire to see God make a difference in people's lives. It is easy to fall into that trap. We have a LIFE GIVING message that our world desperately needs to hear. We have hope and joy in Jesus Christ despite the circumstances that we are going through. Why do we not want to share this with others? The answer is that we are afraid of rejection and what people might think of us. Who's opinion matters more, the person at work or God? People rejected Jesus. They thought He was weird, but they were drawn to Him because they saw something in Him that they didn't see in their own lives. People should see a difference in our lives. If they do not, it might mean that we have too much of the world in us and it is time to re-prioritize. Live like an alien and share LIFE with those in your circle of influence. If people start to look at you differently it might be because your starting to look more like Jesus than you ever have before. Finger on the pulse. . . . . . .
Todd Johnson
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