Be Courageous

The other day I was having a "religious" conversation with one of my good friends. We were driving on the highway, listening to a Christian radio station. About halfway through the song "Courageous" by Casting Crowns, my friend commented on how she didn't know any of the songs that were being played and then she asked why there weren't any Lady Gaga songs played.

I think I laughed out loud.

How could she think Lady Gaga is Christian? She talks about God in a few of her songs and she claims to be religious but being religious and being a Christian are totally different things. Just because Lady Gaga believes in Jesus and God doesn't mean she cares. It doesn't mean she believes the Bible is true.

And then I read this.

I've heard a lot about Max Lucado. My dad loves his books and I've probably read a book of his myself. My Sunday school group just started a Bible study written by him. His quote, "There must be in God's great world a soul who has never doubted God's existence or questioned his goodness. But that soul is not writing this book," took me by surprise. It's good to know I'm not the only Christian who has questioned God's existence.

It's easy to think that you're better than someone because you know what you know, and you know that the person you're better than is wrong. (If that makes any sense at all.) But is it possible to know, is it possible to be one hundred percent positive, that you're going to heaven?

I am not saying it's okay to support Lady Gaga by purchasing her music. It is a fault of mine to argue vehemently with you if you suggest that Lady Gaga is indeed a Christian. (She isn't!) But I think she understands that something is missing from her life. Maybe you do too, and maybe you're searching for something to fill the hole.

But maybe you do know what you know you believe. If that's true of you, then you need to find the courage to live out your faith. Walk the walk and talk the talk. It's cliche, I know. But maybe it's cliche because it works. Go! Be a missionary to your school. Shine God's light in your classrooms. Share the love of God with the people who are searching, people like Lady Gaga.