Chapters 1 & 2

Chapter 1 – Right Christian, Wrong Christian:

As Christena opens the book with a description of an individual she is bothered by, she begins to categorize those individuals that she meets. Following the title of the chapter, she explains the right Christians and the wrong Christians. She sorted out the “Bens” and avoided them at all costs. Yet, just before this she explained her walk with God and how everyone is family and none of the details mattered under God. Somehow her growth in Christ changed along the way. This is not at all unusual. I have talked to individuals who have also had changes and different experiences which have affected their growth in Jesus Christ, I too have had bumps in the road. While Christena should not have been dividing people up into right and wrong, I think this is something that happens more often than we think. Within each denomination, Christians have different thoughts or views. So, which is right? We can each argue for our denomination and say that others are wrong but where is the line drawn? Is there truly a right and a wrong? Christena continued by describing this right and wrong, putting herself in the seat of the right Christian. Matthew 7:1-5 tells us not to judge others. While I appreciated, that Christena realized that “many of us carry our own descriptions of Right Christian and Wrong Christian,” who are we to judge others?

Towards the end of chapter 1 there was a section on a young man, Sam, whom Christena became close friends with. Halfway through the summer with him, Christena realized he did not know she was a Christian. This made me think about my friends, at a Christian school, everyone assumes that we are all Christians. However, I went to a public high school and I now wonder how long did it take people to realize that I was a Christian? While all of my friends knew, I am sure there are many students at the school who did not know which students were Christians. This sort of scares me and makes me question what difference the Christians in my school, including myself, could have made on those individuals who don’t know Christ. Back to the book, Sam’s response to finding out Christena is a Christian came as a shock. He was not thrilled at all. He had a completely different perspective on what it means to be a Christian. How many other individuals have this same or similar false perspective?

Chapter 2 – How Divisions Aare Killing Us And Why We Should Care

Moving into the second chapter, Christena hit on a point that stood out to me very much. She said how we support diversity and inequality and yet we are found sticking to what we know and not venturing out. I could not agree with her more on this. I whole heartedly believe that integration is a great thing. However, I always find myself doing homework and spending time with other white females and males which often have the same or similar major as I do. It is not something do on purpose it is merely how we congregate. I would argue I am not alone here, if you take a look at students in apartments here on Dordt’s campus, students congregate. You find rooms of ag majors, education majors, rooms of all African Americans or Koreans, further yet, the athletes tend to do just the same. We get stuck in a rut and do not want to venture out.

One last piece that stood out to me was the idea of affirmation. When others like my ideas, agree with me, or have similar beliefs, I feel much more comfortable and relatable. Experiences like these and affirmation bring people together in such a way that it is what we become used to. I enjoy the unity that is formed by these ideas which Christena discusses. Through familiarity and affirmation, bonds are formed in a great way. Yet, while this is an experience for all, it makes it that much harder for individuals to step out of that comfort zone and embrace the difference amongst others around us.