Tuesday, May 25, 2004

And the Winner Is...

When I first started posting on servinemup.com, my main goal was to increase my land. I wanted to hit licks on the Internet with reckless abandon. Keep em laughing, learning and coming back for more! But as I’ve matured, as a person and as a writer, I've readjusted my goal. As much as I want all of the trappings of wealth associated with being a popular author, I know that I have a higher purpose than material gain. So instead of writing for a general audience, I started focusing more on the Christian experience. To be even more specific, the black Christian experience. Of course, the marketing moguls cringe at such statutory ‘labeling’.



“Why confine yourself to such a small percentage of the reading population?? Hell, most black folks don’t READ anyway!!”



Of course my response was immediate,



“Well that’s even more reason for me to write something that they would like, it will help encourage them to read more.”



In case you didn’t know already, I’m black ya’ll. Anyone who sees me already knows this. I can’t hide my blackness, I have a LOT of melanin in my skin and I’m very proud of it. Even though I’ve never been able to conceal my blackness, I have been able to conceal my faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I believe that He is the Way, the Truth and the Light, no one comes to the Father except by Him. Everybody ain’t ready to hear that. As a matter of fact, there is a large contingency of readers who face just cringed up and they got a bad taste in their mouth as soon as they read that name Jesus Christ.



Some readers don’t believe Jesus ever existed. Some know that Jesus is real, they just discredit Jesus’ Messianic claim. How these people deal with those of us who believe varies. Some just ignore the Christian message and refuse to answer the door when that Word comes knocking. Labeling all Christians with the ‘looney’ tag, much like how most black folks treat Jehovah Witness. I’ve been guilty of peeping through the keyhole to see those 2 Jehovah Witness at the door looking all crazy like they seem to do and I’ve tiptoed back to the room. “I ain’t got time to hear all that sh’t right now, I’m watching the game.” Too often people can lump all Christians into the same pile and criticize the faith.

Christian priests are molesting little boys! Christian ministers are sleeping with scores of women from the congregation! Christian bishops are gay!! Christian pastors are robbing their communities and congregations blind! All in the name ‘of Jesus’..hmph!



I know a lot of my purpose is to spread the Christian message to an audience that has never had it served to them in this particular way. Instead they’ve based all of their judgments on the Christian faith off of a person, or maybe some anti-Christ book they read. Instead of learning about the faith and the teachings of the Savior, they focus on the shortcomings of the Believers. A lot of this results from the ‘holier than thou’ attitude that a lot of Christians carry around on their shoulders. As much as I like to brush the dirt off MY shoulders, I know that it’s not all about me. I don’t carry myself as better than the next person, I just carry myself like I’m saved, because I know that Jesus got me.



The easiest thing to do when you’re saved is to be quiet and keep it a secret. Maybe talk to somebody at work that wears a cross and reads their Bible in the break room, but for the most part not letting the world in on to what you believe. I was a silent Christian for most of my life. Never denying my faith, but only speaking about it when spoken to. The name Jesus is hot out there ya’ll. It makes some folks start tweaking a bit, they get so sick and tired of ‘righteous Christians’ that they don’t know what to do with themselves. On the other end of the coin, there is a wonderful Christian family available for all who believe. Christian fellowship and congregation in its purest and sincerest form is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. Holding hands, singing, learning, laughing, living with others who know that Jesus is coming back is strengthening. We’re GONE on that Jesus mane! There is no turning back.


Going out on faith can be a very intimidating experience. It’s like being at the edge of a cliff peering down into a vortex that has no end and all. Those who believe have to step out there on that ledge and leave all those worldly things behind. This is the call of discipleship that ALL who believe in Jesus feel at some point in their lives. The person that you used to be is no more, you are reborn with new eyes and a new heart and all you want to do is serve Him.



I often use my fellow Christians as a beacon of light when I’m searching for my writing muse. I know there’s a lot of Christians out there having a hard time dealing with this world. Whether it’s with their relationships, their kids, their jobs, their health, their finances, it rains on Christians just like everybody else. But just when all of the trials of life seem too heavy and unbearable, that’s when Jesus steps in, always when you need Him the most. This unrelenting faith will make some snicker in amusement.



That n’ga must be crazy to think some Jesus-God dude is going to come down and SAVE him!!



Others will see this faith as a cop-out:



People pull out that Jesus-card like a parachute and then when they’re ‘saved’ they go back to doing the same sh’t they were doing before. Seen that!!



It is these nay Sayers and non-Believers who often wear on the Christian heart. A large part of out of the closet Christian’s lives can be spent in a defensive stance against those who attempt to discredit the Savior and refuse to give Him the glory. It is for these tireless soldiers out living the Word that I try to strengthen and encourage with the good news. Sometimes this can just be via the Sunday school lesson or maybe a real life recollection that highlights a common point of contention. At the same time I try to write such that those who have never heard the Word can understand and learn more about the Bible.



Now that I’m venturing out into the world of fiction, I’m faced with some interesting Christian dilemmas. How real should I write? Is it okay to write ALL the way real as long as the end message is repentance? Will people be able to differentiate the two?? The last thing I would ever want to do is lead someone astray from the path of salvation. Instead I’d rather yell, wave and point everyone I see into Jesus’ direction.



There He is ya’ll!! That’s THE MAN right there!! I’m just here to tell ya!!



That is the highest honor for a Christian. Evangelizing the Word of God and leading others to the Lord is what makes people saints. Onward Christian soldiers, marching on to war, with the cross of Jesus, going on before. I’ve always believed in Heaven and Hell and final Judgment. And once I got stronger in the Word, and learned more about what it takes to get into Heaven, as well as the rewards according to our works?? C’mon mane, it’s plain as day right there, either you’re serving the Lord or you’re serving yourself!! Choose one.



Everybody ain’t ready to serve and spread the Word. They’re too weak or too afraid, just not ready for all that. But look here, if you’re ashamed of Him, He’s going to be ashamed of you. Know what um tawkin bout? If you believe in your heart, you WILL submit, trust me on that one. This doesn’t mean that you will be immediately perfect and ‘holy’. This just means that you set yourself apart from the crowd, you’re His. That’s stepping out on that faith ya’ll. For those that haven’t made it to that ledge yet, where you have to decide if you’re going to step out on faith or keep doing what you’ve been doing? I’m trying to push you on out there!! :)

Alright…now that I’ve got ya’ll charged up, let’s gone and roll out the winner. I posted ‘Get In Where Ya Fit In’ this past Friday and I listed the choices for the next article. The winner was an almost unanimous decision, only about 10 people voted for Thankya Laude, but the overwhelming majority is rolling with the most popular n’ga on servinemup.com. Sit back and relax yourself ya’ll, Reverend Janky Just Got Out of Jail!

Rev. Janky Just Got Out of Jail - May 23, 2004