Snobbery

We've all met snobs. The people who think they are perfect, think they have the most superior minds, think they have it all together. The problem isn't really in the fact that they think they are so wonderful, the problem comes when they know that we, their lowly human relations are not perfect, neither do we have superior brains like them, and we certainly don't have it together. They are better than us, and they let us know that. We call them snobs in return.

You meet an awful lot of snobs in life. They seem to pop in every area, school, work, social interactions, goodness, I met an iced tea snob the other day in McDonalds. The sad thing is, one of the easiest places to bump into a snob? Church.  Especially a conservative church.

Yeah, church. Now I am a conservative christian. I do not believe in avoiding church because of the stigma  church people have gotten themselves. I just want to draw a little attention to the fact that, fellow church people, we are snobs. SNOBS. And we've gotta quit it.

I've been a snob, I see traces of snobbery popping up all through my past, and sadly, foreshadowed in my future. I used to think that I had it all together. I lived in the perfect family, I believed in purity, I prominently desplayed books by all the religious elite, I wore skirts at just that certain length on my leg, I never wore flashy jewelry, never watched TV, never attended a movie theater, I memorized long passages of scripture, I sang in the choir, I rigorously took notes during sermons.

Not that any of those things were inherently bad. But I was being a snob while doing them.  You see I had some warped sub-conscious idea, that all those things made me better somehow. That I was cleaner than the christian rock singing, raccoon eyed, high heel clicking teen across the room.

I was never out and out taught that. In fact I was taught that nothing that I did, made me better. My Pastor tried to explain that no outward conformity changed how God looked at us. But the people I was surrounded with? They showed me something completely different. I don't think they meant to, I think it was something they didn't even realize they were believing. But slowly and surely, I was inducted in to Christian snobbery.

Things like movies and clothing had to be perfect, before each other. If someone actually watched a modern movie, it was kept as some sort of secret. Afraid, I guess that the other's in the flock would find out, and think that we were less spiritual. We cleaned things up to look great.

Things like this were said. "Hey, you've got to hear the new CD from the ---. It has a beautiful rendition
of "In Christ Alone".  "Yes" someone would say, "but wasn't that song by a contemporary christian writer?" "Yeah, but they have cleaned it up, taken all the extra stuff out."

As if, some group could remove drums from a song and it become magically acceptable to God. Same words, same tune, just no drums.

Guys, that's snobbery. This idea that we have the corner on what's right and wrong, that we can determine how people should look, what sort of music pleases God. That we have the responsibility to keep people in line, and make sure that we are set apart Christians.

But you see, when God calls us out of the world, to be separate, He meant for it to happen in our hearts. Not just in out outward appearance, and the things we participate in.

Snobbery affects others. It drives others away. Not only will the unsaved and hurting people be forced away by your odd manner of life, and unusual clothes, they'll also flee from your condescending attitude. The sad thing, is, you probably won't even know that you have a condescending attitude.

 Snobbery hurts fellow believers as well. It makes them either be fearful of appearing wrong in your eyes (so they'll cover up anything questionable, and become snobs just like you). Or it will make them run the other direction, and you'll heave a sigh as they leave and say, "poor things, they just don't understand. I'll pray for them." and you'll honestly attribute it to their flagrant heart problems. All that is really wrong is they are scared, and scarred from  your snobbery.

Snobbery affect you too. You will slowly introvert, pulling inwards. Your efforts to keep up the front of perfection, even though something done almost entirely in your sub-conscious, will wear you out. You will stop growing, you will stagnate.  When water stagnates, millions of bacteria breed, and the water becomes dangerous and deadly. That's how you'll become. And, unless you are shaken awake, you'll never know it.

It's a big problem, it's a serious problem, and honestly it's scary. I know I'm just a 21 year old, blogger with about 4 regular readers. But, I have seen where christian snobbery can lead. And I never want to be a chrisitian snob again.

You're going to see some things around here change. I'm not going to hide anything anymore. I'm going to openly admit things, things I do because I have asked God to show me if they are wrong, and so far He hasn't. I'm sure  much of what I have changed and will change in my life will be attributed to "young Adult rebelliousness." Honestly, it's just an effort to survive, to see who God really is, without having to wear or do a certain thing to reach him. I'm not rebelling, and going for "easy-believe-ism" or "seeker friendly" Christianity, I'm just trying to get away from all of the extra.

>Yes, I do have TV.  Yes, I do watch it.
> Yes, I do  wear short skirt, jeans, high heels, jewelry, sparkly makeup, and fingernail polish, and Yes, I do follow some fashion trends.
> Yes, I do have the internet.
> Yes, I do listen to Contemporary Christian Music. And yes, after my Dad passed away, I found more comfort in those songs than in the old hymns.
> Yes, I will occasionally go to the movie theater.
> Yes, I do read books that are not in the Christian Genre.
> Yes, I do know a few pop songs.

And yes, I refuse to be a snob anymore. I'm not the greatest person out there. I fall into sin repeatedly.  I admit that. You know, I have to admit that until God shattered my snobbish outlook on life. I never really saw myself as someone who was that sinful, or someone who really needed saving. It wasn't until the facade was stripped down, that I saw who I really am, a sinful wretch, naked before God. But someone who He loves, someone whose name is written in His very hand. I cannot begin to tell you, the immense joy and relief I have experienced as I let God take away everything that distinctively pointed me out as a hyper - conservative Christian.

I've probably ruffled a lot of feathers. I'll probably lose some followers. That's okay, I've already lost a lot of friends through this already. It's been quite the journey, but I'm not stopping, I'm going to let God strip away everything He wants to.

So, to wrap this up here is a song that paints a pretty good picture of Christian snobbery, and of the introverted people they unintentionally become.

But really, "What if there is a bigger picture, what if I'm missing out, what if there's a greater purpose I could be living right now, outside my own little world?"

Christian snobs, are well intentioned I think. In fact, I believe they don't even know that they are becoming introverted. They think that it's their job to hold onto others, to keep them in the dress code, and outline that they've created. They think that they are doing what is right, being safe. But God doesn't ask for safe. He asks us to live for Him, and for Him only, no dress code, no outline for life. He want's all of our attention, all of our love.  He want's us to reach others, not force them away.

Seeking only Him in my fallible human way,
Amanda