These past couple weeks have me questioning what is normal. I'm finding that normalcy is a highly subjective thing. What may be normal for one person is not the norm for another. What may be normal for one family will probably not be normal for another family. What may be normal for a one Country, will not be normal for another. Take for instance the freedoms we have here in the USA that we are squandering left and right in the name of safety or tolerance. You can go to church without worrying about getting blown up, unlike the churches in Nigeria right now. Or maybe the fact that in this country, we are allowed to have guns, where in other countries, this is not possible. These are rights we are giving away at a maddening pace to keep up with what the "world " says should be the norm.
I have come to the conclusion that "normal" should be based on what the Bible and God have said it should be and not what our society says it should be. We all have our own ideas of what normal looks like.
For Instance, in my family we listen to Christian rock music, loudly, we like the sound of a race car motor, and would like to be able to go the the drag-strip and watch the cars zoom down the lane, we have loud arguments and debates, we deal with struggles differently. The true question then should be, are your activities and the way you run your life glorifying to God or not? There is nothing that makes my family better than or less "righteous" than someone elses family. Other families don't have a corner on "this is Godly" just because they don't listen to Christian rock music, or would never even consider going to a drag race. Families are different and I'm pretty sure that's how God wants it.
As far as individual people go, wow you know God had to have a sense of humor. There are no two people alike. We all seemed bent to look at things through our own experiences be them good or bad. I grew up in a highly dysfunctional family, Im surprised I actually survived my childhood, and teenage years. While I was growing up I assumed my life was normal, and that every-ones family was similar. When I became a Christian I found out, through the Bible, that my life was anything but normal, based purely on biblical principles. Does that make me better or worse than say, a child who grew up in a Christian home with none of the same issues we had? I dont think so, as a matter of fact I believe my past experiences have put me in a unique position to be able to witness to people who may have had similar upbringings as my own, the same as someone who grew up in a Christian home has a unique ministry. I submit that I would much rather talk to someone I can identify with, then someone who would judge me because my experiences are not their own.
Unfortunately, alot of good Christians think theirs is the only way, there is no room for anything outside their "norm". You couldn't possibly be "used by God" or "righteous enough" because you don't do things a certain way or behave or listen to the correct music or whatever it may be that makes them think they have an edge. All I have to say is, where is that in the Bible? Maybe I'm being harsh, and according to the "Christian norm" women are supposed to be all soft and sweet and nurturing and a dozen other things I dont seem to be able to get a grasp on. Im weary with trying to be like some other peoples idea simply because they seem to be so "normal" or more "Godly". God created me for a purpose, it isnt going to be the same as someone elses purpose, he put my family together the way he wanted, we have struggles that make us grow or fall and have to pick ourselves back up again with Gods help. Quite frankly, how in the world do Christians expect to grow if everything is Sunshine and rainbows? There is no growth without struggles. Look at the plants, the have to push through the dirt to the sun, they get snowed on, froze, dug up, but they just keep growing through all the struggles and set backs.
In the end, I'm glad my family isn't perfect, then I would have nothing to look forward to when Jesus comes back. I mean why look to Heaven if life is perfect here? We aren't supposed to achieve heaven on earth, we are supposed to look forward to our Savior coming back and making things perfect.
