Outside the Box

The other day I was talking to Phillip about an article I had read. The topic wasn’t so important to me, but the fact that I had never realized there were two such distinct sides really got my attention. I had always assumed the general population took to one opinion because that is what I saw around me. Everyone I knew did this particular thing, so why shouldn’t we? The sudden realization that there may be more to the topic than I had previously assumed really, really irritated me.

Why? Because I hate doing (or believing) things just because everyone else does. I want to look at all the facts and make an informed decision myself, even if it isn’t the popular one. I want to think outside the box and not only do I believe this is important to do, I believe this is something God has called us to do.

When we go to church and hear a sermon it is important for us to take the message home and study it further on our own. I’m not saying  we shouldn’t trust our pastors, I’m saying we need to study the Word for ourselves, allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and not simply rely on the words of another man to grow us spiritually.

When we encounter controversial topics in our society, we shouldn’t be so quick to take the popular opinion (even if it is the popular Christian opinion). We need to do our homework, know the facts, then take it to God and prove it against His word. You might be surprised to find (like I have) that the popular Christian opinion does not always line up with the word of God.

Let’s face it, God rarely calls us to do the popular thing. He is an “outside of the box” kind of God.

Here are some of the things that Phillip and I think outside of the box on.

Birth control. This is the big one for me, the one that really opened my eyes to allowing my opinions to be biblically based, instead of culturally based.

The number of kids we are going to have. When I was a kid I assumed I would have 2, when I got married I thought maybe 4, now…who knows!

Denominational beliefs.

Schooling for our kids.

The way we eat. I know, it seems like something small, but I never really ventured outside the box on this one until recently.

Our career choice.

Our finances.

Some of these things seem big, some of them may seem kind of insignificant. Some of them I believe apply to all Christians, some are just for our family. For me, it is all about that box. You know, the one society puts out there and says “hey, everyone jump in!” I might get in, if that is the decision I feel God is leading me to, but more often than not I find that God calls us to the less crowded destinations outside that box.

How about you? Have you ventured out of those four walls in your life? If not, I highly recommend trying it. It is really quite exciting.