What if… the rock you are standing on is really the sand you warn others about standing on…

What if that choking feeling you experience when anyone challenges your faith is really the sand that is up around your throat as you sink deeper into its abyss…

What if the fear creeps in so quickly because it is actually more prevalent than the strength you clinch tightly in your fist of dreams…

What if your cries of God’s greatness echo within the empty expanse that is the space He wants to fill within you…

…

Nevermind…

You’re probably just fine… go back to what you were doing…

God loves you just the way you are…

…

Isaiah 6:5 – “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, theLord of hosts!”

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— Walter Johnson (@rootedfaith) March 12, 2012

The internet has experienced a recent flood of “What I Really Do” meme images that are being passed around like the latest iPhone app…

It seems that the humor from these memes comes from the poignant truths found in each image, which hits each stereotypical thought right between the eyes. I have literally hurt myself laughing at some of them.

Here are a few of my favorites:

It is interesting that as long as we don’t use the word “stereotype”, we can often get away with being “stereotypical” without crossing the line of becoming socially unacceptable. As long as people laugh and are not offended, a stereotype receives validation. Yet when someone speaks of a stereotype that is negative the immediate reaction is often rejection of the idea based simply on it being a generalization.

Herein lies the problem: The positive is easily accepted as truth, and the negative is easily discarded as false.

There are certainly stereotypes that most would consider positive that do not contain the truth, or at least the whole truth. And there are certainly negative stereotypes that are not at all false. Some negative stereotypes exist fully because they have been evidenced for decades, even centuries.

The lighter side of stereotypes has reminded me to check my definition of truth, and the value I attach to it. Sometimes when something is easily accepted, it is meek in value. And other times, when rejection seems like the right option, a higher value might be waiting, if we take the time to perform a proper inspection for the truth. This is especially true when we are personally stereotyped in a negative way. Let us not be too quick to dismiss negative criticism, but to search for the truth, though it may be painful, it can push us forward to become better… so we will have more time to enjoy life… and laugh at ourselves…

If the stereotype fits… wear it. If you don’t like the fit… change.

James tells us that if we hear the truth of the Word of God and do not follow its truth, then we are like a man who looks at his reflection in a mirror and immediately forgets when he walks away. (James 1:24) Do not be deceived, but persevere in the perfect law of liberty, being blessed in what you are doing (James 1:25)

Until We’re All Home,

Walter

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— Walter Johnson (@rootedfaith) February 17, 2012

You may be thinking “Football Legacy”… but in an interview with Sean Hannity, Tim Tebow describes a different focus on his efforts to invest in the lives of others, both in the NFL and around the world.

Whether or not you are a fan of University of Florida athletics, the Denver Broncos, even football in general, the fact remains that there are a lot of discussions going on about Tim Tebow and his faith, and how he promotes it within a professional athletic career. Part of the discussion includes complaints about how the commentators and reporters speak unfavorably of Tebow and can’t seem to make sense of what he is doing, which leads them to become negative about him whenever possible. And though I wouldn’t encourage this behavior by those commentators, it doesn’t surprise me.

1 Corinthians 2:14 explains that the things of the Spirit of God are not accepted by the “natural person”. Things of God are spiritually discerned, and without this ability, true understanding is impossible. So don’t be discouraged when lost people act… lost. When the non-spiritual do not understand your actions, you should decide to have the compassion of Christ for them (Matt 9:36). And make sure you don’t flip the meaning of the verse to be as nonsensical as possible “for Jesus”. There are enough people proudly wearing their “Odd for God” merit badges.

Leave a legacy, as God brings you in contact with others, and you bring them in contact with the Spirit of God, so that they too might hear the gospel, as our Father in heaven draws them to himself (John 6:44).

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Until We’re All Home,

Walter

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— Walter Johnson (@rootedfaith) January 13, 2012

Welcome to the home of the Rooted Faith Podcast. I am currently working through equipment setup as well as all the fun website/twitter/show notes setup for the podcast so that everything will be in order when it launches… If you’d like, you can go ahead and connect with us via Twitter and we will notify you when the podcast launches. Also, feel free to send us an email @ feedback@rootedfaith.com. Thanks for dropping by.

Until We’re All Home,

Walter