In some situations it becomes apparent that looks, politics, and popularity play a key role in life. Government is one. In many elections since mass media was running election coverage - photos videos and speeches became a big part of what people looked at to make a choice regarding their favorite candidate. Yet most people just chose by looks.
Image is everything.
A small monthly magazine in USA called the Weekly Reader has predicted the correct outcome of every major election in the USA perfectly for over 30? 40? years.
The magazine is for school kids that on average never read, know nothing about politics, and whose primary concern in life at that age is does so and so like me.
School kids from 6 and up could correctly predict political results every time.
They were given two photos of two candidates (three or four in other elections with independents) and simply asked for which person would they vote for.
A small check box later they cast there vote based largely on looks.
They always got it right. http://www.weeklyreader.com/
Anyway - I say all of that to say this...
What if you want a voice? What if you think or feel that you have something to share and you are denied the chance to do so?
Politics and rash decisions like the above happen to us all of the time in our lives. Yet in most cases we are powerless to prevent it or do anything about it.
Without a voice - we are silent
Without an opinion - we are puppets
Without action - we fail before we start
As a person with many opinions (ask anyone around me for 5 min) I feel that I do have something to offer the world. Something to share. A passion to spread.
I am well read - in the secular sense and in the Christian world.
I am very very picky about what I listen to however in regards to both.
I take every chance I can to tell others about the life changing relationship of Jesus and what He did for us.
I have friends and acquaintances from one side of this world to the other that would take me in if I needed help - people that tell me that I have made a difference in their lives.
Yet I do not spend money on appearance or fashion and I am quite happy with the basics of both. The majority of my paycheck is spent on food and rent and loans. If I have anything left over it goes to buy a bit better food or pay off a bit more on another bill.
So I look uninteresting - don't have acid washed jeans or greased and styled hair like any random band on MTV. Mind you I would happily update my "look" given the chance and enough pressure from others. But I fail to see the need as anything but vain and selfish when there is better things in life to be done. So baring a severe blow to the head causing massive brain damage and drop in IQ and about 500 hours of MTV brainwashing... I don't see this happening any time soon for me regardless of money.
Anyway - all that being said... the world do not look at the inner man. They look at the outward man every time.
Do you have a voice in the world? Is it from your character and mind or because you Look the Part?
Do you play the games to make people like you for your looks even though they will just as easily talk about you behind your back the moment your gone?
I don't have time for the silly social hurdles that people and society place in front of us. I hate having to go to people that have heard gossip and ask them why they won't even say hello to you if you pass them in the street.
So I don't bother worrying about it.
I believe in a better way of life - a better moral code that my father put into me.
Chivalry, politeness and civility, good natured and well mannered ways that should make people like you no matter what. Yet I keep running into people that dislike me for that very reason. I keep making an effort and it is wearying to be sure... but it is worth doing.
In my area for the last several years I said hello to strangers every morning, every afternoon and every evening. Regardless of who they were. Do you know that it was a year before anyone said hello back?
Anyway - think I wandered off the point there. Sorry.
Finding my voice again
In this world we judge and vote and so forth - all primarily based on looks and opinion of appearance.
Politics, Friends and even family are all based on looks.
Jesus sent us to the lovely and the unlovely. To care and share and be civil at the least to others and each other.
The Bible says that the world will know we are Christians because of the love we have for one another. Caring for each other and those around us should urge us all to come out of our comfort zones and approach life and the world at large to be more and do more than we are doing now.
I go out every weekend here in Dundalk Ireland (with others) and share the very real love and relationship that I have with Christ. I make a point to get past the walls and the opinions the people have about me and what I am talking about to get to the heart of the matter and the heart of where they are at.
With Gods help many times I have talked to people to the point that they are encouraging me and my friends to stop everyone and do the same. The Truth sets you free.
Shock and awe is the expression we get most... when the nonsense of who we are or what we might be talking about are out of the way... many times people tell us things like - It can't be that simple - there has to be a catch -
When people have gotten passed the looks and the thoughts and past upsets and listen - really listen to the simple message of the Gospel... everyone is shocked.
Its not about a building or an organization - nothing to do with stained glass
Nothing to do with being good enough or working to earn it
Its everything to do with them - just taking the free gift of salvation from Jesus and starting a real true relationship with God.
Most everyone has the knowledge of this in their head - most everyone thinks its true. People fail when they don't know that beyond the appearance of what we are showing them in the Bible - there is an action that they have to do.
The difference between Christianity (Actual Christianity) and religion or religious looking or sounding christianity - is this one simple action.
You have to with your mouth and in your heart - confess that Jesus is Lord and believe it in your heart. Then tell someone else about it and what you did as you continue to grow and learn in it.
The action is the key to the actual.
That is the real issue with the FACE of christianity that everyone judges and the appearance of the look of the popular idea of what Church or religion is.
The popular people in Churches around the world that hold the best rank among all others or any religion for that matter... the difference is that God looks at the heart and the REAL you. He knows what is going on inside.
You can fool everyone else but Him.
What image are you projecting to others and do they even know your a Christian (if you are one) and is it because you told them you are or because you told them then shared with them about Him? As a Christian the next action you do should be telling others about Jesus.
