As a septuagenarian, I have met many Christians. It may be too simplistic but I will classify them in only two types. There are those who enjoy their relationship with Christ and those who endure it.
John Eldredge in his book Beautiful Outlaw writes:
“The more you fall in love with Jesus’ genuine goodness, which is true goodness, the more you will detest the counterfeit of a false piety and a shallow morality. As he did. Jesus has a wild freedom born out of a profound holiness.
Which makes him the most remarkable person I have ever known” (p 92).
At a very early age, I realized how remarkable Jesus is. It was the accounting which is described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke of people bringing their children to be blessed by Jesus. The disciples respond like many adults I knew. They tried to say Jesus was too busy and too important to be bothered by these messy little annoying rug rats. But Jesus rebuked them. The first grade me found that so remarkable that I wanted to be his disciple, too.
Move forward several years, somehow I confused pleasing the adults by observing the do’s and don’ts with worshipping the remarkable Jesus. I remember a few times even explaining to someone amazed I did not go to movies that my church did not believe in it. I made a similar statement when asked if I was going to the prom. I probably was supposed to be doing “good works” to please Jesus, but it never felt that way to me, because it wasn’t Jesus telling me what was good and what was sin. I endured this relationship with what seemed to be a very complicated Jesus.
You can tell the Christian enduring their Christian religiosity, because we are judgmental, feel like we’re “suffering” for Christ, and interpret the scriptures to dovetail with what we believe is righteous. We resemble the Pharisees or the disciples still learning who Christ is and what his mission is. We are babes unable to handle the meat of the Word who was made flesh and dwelt among us. Milk toast sermons which tickle our ears and disguise us from our hypocrisy.
The Christian enjoying, not enduring their friendship with God through the grace of Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit is rare. The change doesn’t show up as much outwardly, because it is spiritual. Their thinking is sometimes counterintuitive. Their purpose is different.
Because they are human and not divine, they still sometimes fall short of the glory of God and may fail to glorify God in everything they do. But they know Christ well-enough to understand that God does not judge as others might, but continues to disciple them toward a way that leads to more fulfillment.
The Christian who is enjoying their friendship with Jesus doesn’t stand out usually. That’s because their identity is hidden in Christ. You may not think of them as the honed spiritual athlete, because they’re still in training being transformed by the renewing of the mind. They fail, stray, sin, but learn from failures how beautiful Christ is who experienced this life with all its temptations, pain, and sorrows without failing.
Their interpretation of scripture may sound odd because it lacks the polished stained glass piety you are used to hearing from the “mature” Christian, although there is something about it that rings true deep down in the hearer’s spirit.
I wasted too many years enduring, I am listening more carefully and learning to enjoy a relationship with Christ until whether here or the hereafter I am finally one with Christ. Until then, I will enjoy any moments where my spirit is in tune with His Spirit. When Christ sets you free, you are free indeed.
Categories: Christian Devotional Inspiration Relationship
Douglas Knight
I have the rich life full of a sinner wounded by misunderstanding and punishment but blessed by mercy and forgiveness.
Knight Writer 
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