Who doesn't like a good debate?

The little country town in which I live was recently torn in two by the very same controversy that has gained significant national coverage in a city slightly larger than my own.

Ok I lied.

A bigger city.

Much Bigger!

Yet still the controversy swirls here among farmers and a whole lot of country church goers much in the same way it engulfs the city slickers.

Some people want a mosque. 

Some people don't like it very much 

that some people want a mosque built.

Some more people don't like the fact 

that some people don't like it very much

that some people want a mosque built.

...and this is the house that jack built....

As with any good controversy there are two sides. Both sides are right. Both sides are wrong.

Naturally.

Since the controversy erupted I knew I wanted to write about it. At first I wanted to write about how crazy upset I was with those who claim Christ and yet are known solely by what they are against instead of by what they are for. I wanted to say seriously folks. 

Christian folks. 

L-O-V-E 

It's a command!

Not an option.

Just saying.

Though I personally didn't oppose the mosque itself I then decided I wanted to write about the topic of tolerance that it brought up. Not necessarily in relation to the mosque but just how sick of tolerance I am. Jesus wasn't tolerant, God certainly isn't tolerant. Why on earth should *I* worry about being tolerant. Just because tolerance is popular... uhm no. Let me step outside of myself and just say no. HECK no! Tolerance has Got.To.Go!

Life was busy. I didn't take time to write. (I hadn't yet had my great idea to feed my children cheap cardiac arrest burgers in order to get a moment to myself.) And the controversy died down.

BUT then I read something that bothered me. It was made by a professing christian in reference to Muslims. 

Friendship aside.

Spiritual beliefs aside.

Ir*q war aside.

Muslims ARE PEOPLE. 

God loves PEOPLE. 

'nuff said. 

It bugged the crap outta me. Just ask my husband. I ranted and raved to him for hours on end about the principle behind it. I ranted and raved about the "some people" who were all upset on both sides. I went on and on about my disgust with the situation. Sweet guy listened.to.it.all.

Bless him.

Let me tell you one thing about my husband. He has a very cool gift. I am in awe and super jealous of this ability he has. He can listen to me ramble for days on end about something and then condense it into one short concise sentence that gets the point across. 

I envy short concise sentences that are capable of speaking volumes. 

I bet you have been wishing I'd a gotten to the point three paragraphs ago! 

See my point?!?

I can't say anything in one sentence!

Utterly BRILLIANT that man is!

What follows is my husband's words. {He made me promise to give him the credit when I finally got all my thoughts on paper.} So here it goes.. short.. concise.. to the point.. volumes my friends.. VOLUMES.. and somewhat WAY better put than I would have ever said myself!

Christians just need to be more like the Muslims

in that our faith needs to be noticed by outsiders?

Bet that one takes a couple days to soak in.

And because I have an addiction to words and can't keep my mouth shut I'll add my two cents now...

Seriously, go to wal-mart. See the muslims? Sure you do. They stick out like sore thumbs. Can you pick out the Christians? Can you find anyone from which love ooozes so supernaturally you think, that person, that one right there, they MUST be a Christ follower!?!

So Christian... does your neighbor have you pegged as the Jesus following type? Do your co-workers? Do the people that meet you in rush hour traffic? The ones in the check-out line? What about the people sitting at the table adjacent to yours at the restuarant?

Does the way you go about your day to day life outside of the church building scream out to others that you are a Christ follower?

I'll be the first to confess no.