Recently, a Christian musician has gained mainstream notoriety.  She has even been featured on a couple of popular talk-shows where she also had the opportunity to sing.

The songs she chose were from her most recent album and were encouraging and uplifting.  She sang about the Savior.

And people criticized her.  Christian people.

Why did she go on that talk show?  Doesn’t she know what kind of person the host is?   

Her fellow believers were concerned that she was falling to prey to the lures of the world.

She wasn’t the first one to deal with this…Peter encountered the same thing in Acts 11.  

1 Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. 2 But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. 3 “You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.

In spite of the fact that the Gentiles had received the word of God, the believers were still critical.  Instead of celebrating what God had done, they chastised Peter for congregating with non-Jews.

Believe it or not, the same thing was said about Jesus.  

Matthew 9:11 But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” 12 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”

It made me wonder…what about me?  Would people accuse me of hanging out with people who don’t act, talk or look like me?  Unfortunately, I don’t think they would.

Scripture is clear that we should be wise in choosing our friends but Jesus also said that He is sending us out.  We are His ambassadors, His light, His hands and His feet. There are people everywhere who have never heard His name. So, when we enter their lives, whether it’s from a talk show or as a neighbor, may they recognize that there is something different about us.  When they meet us, may they see Him.

And if anyone is critical, that’s okay.  We are in really, really good company.

~Anu

Photo by Morgan Sessions on Unsplash