I found a link to a great little article on Dead Man Blogging. The article is written by R.C. Sproul Jr and deals with being set apart.
I don’t know what shows are on TV, and I don’t know what songs are on the radio. I couldn’t name enough current NBA players to fill a single team’s roster. I’m not even sure if they still play the game in college.
So what have I lost? One of the ways we seek to spiritualize our worldliness is to see it as a tool for evangelism. That is, if I’m hip to the lyrics of the real Slim Shady, then I can help the homies be down with Jesus. If I devote my time and conversation to a disposable pop-culture, then maybe I’ll lead the poor deluded fools to a more permanent city. Trouble is, of course, when I spend all my time down at Pleasure Island, what should happen but that I begin to grow donkey ears, and begin to bray rather than pray. I end up worrying more about Valerie and Eddie’s relationship woes (or, to be slightly more current, Jennifer and Ben’s) than I worry about the relationship between Christ and His bride. Yes Paul quoted Cretan poets, but until we master the Bible as well as he did, I’d suggest we’d be better off learning David’s lyrics rather than 50 Cents’ lyrics. Meeting people where they are simply leaves them where they are and moves us closer to them. Interbreed with monkeys, and you won’t lift them up. Rather, devolution will follow.
Our calling isn’t to mix and mingle, but to be set apart. That such scares us scares me. Where are they now? In a surreal world. Where should I be? Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. This is wisdom not from a dime-store poet, but from the very Spirit of Life. This is what’s best for me, best for you, and equally important, best for those yet outside His grace.
