I'm not a member of the Jesus fan club and I don't want to be

I'm not a member of the Jesus fan club.  I know lots of people that could be.  I know a few people who could run his fan club.  These are the people who can tell you every detail of the life of Jesus.  They can quote verses from memory and tell you how many times Jesus uses certain words in his speeches.  I used to be intimidated by these people.  I felt like I could never learn as much as they knew and couldn't possibly know all of the things about Jesus that they knew.  I thought I could never be as "Christian"or as righteous as them.

Then I realized something.

As I got to know some of these people I learned that some of them don't know Jesus at all.
They can tell you everything he did and said.  They can quote him inside out and backwards---but they have no relationship with him at all.  They don't KNOW him.  They don't speak to him.  They don't know his heart and his desires.  Upon this realization I was no longer intimidated.  I was saddened.  They have spent lifetimes and countless hours researching and learning about a man who is waiting to speak to them and they are too busy researching and learning to stop and let Him speak to them.

A friend of mine has a daughter who is a huge Justin Bieber fan.  She can probably quote me most of what he said last week.  She can probably tell me what he had for lunch today.  She knows his favorite color, his favorite food...all of his likes and dislikes.  She can tell me what he said on Twitter and what the press is saying about him.  She probably has more information memorized about Justin and can quote more quotes and lyric's of Justin's than his own mother or his girlfriend can.  I don't think that makes her closer to Justin than his mother is.  She isn't in a relationship with him because she know all of the things he said and did.  She KNOWS that. She considers herself Justin's biggest fan; but she isn't under a disillusion that she is Justin's best friend. She understands the difference.

I believe many people who study Jesus don't quite grasp the difference.   If Justin Bieber was sitting beside my friends daughter in a room; I can guarantee she wouldn't ignore his presence.  Sadly, many who proclaim Jesus do just that! He is sitting beside them waiting for them to speak to Him.  He wants to guide their hearts and their lives and they are too busy learning what He did for other people to take the time to speak to Him and allow His guidance in their own lives. Maybe His advice to them would be different then the advice He gave to others thousands of years ago.

I have three children.  My advice for each of them (if they listened to it) is different.  I take into account their own personalities, their strengths, their weaknesses, their past successes and failures and even their fears into account when I offer them guidance.  Parenting would be so much easier if I could just look at a play book and quote them the proper words.  But it doesn't work that way.  Because every child is different. So we guide them differently.  Just as God guides us each differently.

Every family and every person has their own set of principles that they live their lives by.  I'm not saying the words Jesus's said is are a waste of time and aren't worth reading.  I know the principles He teaches and the lessons you learn from Him are valuable and serve a purpose. I know His principles are unchanging and still relevant today.  I love reading the New Testament stories.  I sometimes even travel into the Old Testament when I'm feeling adventurous.  Sometimes God speaks to me through those stories.  But those stories aren't a substitute for a relationship with God.  And knowing the stories doesn't mean I know Him.

I can't quote but one or two verses from the Bible by heart.  I can't tell you which Books you will find which stories in.  I can't even name all of the Books of the Bible for you.  I'm not a good at memorization. That not something I need to feel ashamed of.  God understands that isn't a strength of mine.  He is--after all--the one who made me this way.  If He thought it was important for the plan He has for me to know; He would have given me that ability. Instead, He has assured me that I don't need to spend hours frustrating myself and feeling like a failure trying to be someone I'm not.
And He has assured me that He doesn't think less of me for it so I should stop allowing others to make me feel that way.

I share this post for three audiences.  One is God.  He has continuously nudged me toward writing and sharing more.  I resist for a multitude of reasons that I won't get into now; but am trying to be more obedient.

The second audience is those who are "fans" of Gods who aren't building a  relationship with Him.
Allow Him in and let Him SPEAK to you!!!  And if you are one of those who judges others' closeness with God based on how much of Him they have memorized--please don't.  He made us all different for a reason.  His plan for you isn't any better or worse than mine and vice versa.   Lets each
celebrate the uniqueness of how He created us.

The last group I write to are those who have allowed others to let them feel intimidated in any way about their own relationship with God.  People are people.  We are all flawed and messed up in our own way.  We aren't God---we make people feel bed sometimes.  Don't let God's  people affect your relationship with God. They are not one and the same.  He created you to be exactly who you are and He loves you and has loved you always.  He gave you all of your strengths and all off your weaknesses....perfectly equipping you to fill out what He has planned for you life.  Talk to Him and let Him guide you in that plan instead of trying to live out someone else's.