So this weekend my mom was in town and as per the previous blog we took her to the zoo and to see the new Narnia. The new Narnia was great...I was a little hesitant since I loved the previous one so much...but it was great!! There was a line in it
"be a noble contradiction"
and it really struck me and I haven't been able to shake it from my mind. So to appropriately apply it to myself I looked up noble and contradiction:
NOBLE: Having or showing qualities of high moral character, such as courage, generosity, or honor. Grand and stately in appearance; majestic
CONTRADICTION: To assert or express the opposite of (a statement). To deny the statement of. To be contrary to; be inconsistent with.
As I reviewed these definitions I said to myself, "Self...this is such a true statement!!" I want to be a noble contradiction to the things of this world. I want to courageously say no I won't do the things that the world would encourage me to do. I want to demonstrate qualities of high moral character in the process of denying giving into the world's pressures. I want to majestically (proudly) say "I'm ok with being contrary and inconsistent to the world." I want to be a noble contradiction -- not in a pious or proud way, but rather in that that silent (leading by example) yet confident way. I use to be so proud that my life was very different from everyone else - I made different choices - I went against the flow - I was shunned at times for those choices however I LONG to be there again. I am slowly moving back to that place, which again means people don't understand.
People now feel that any changes I make in my life are due to my decision to "turn Mormon" -- however none of my core beliefs have changed -- the things I thought were wrong as a Christian I think are still wrong. The things/choices I disagree with now I disagreed with back then. I think it's offensive to "Christianity" at large to say that Christianity is ok with blatant sins...As I've said in previous blogs things like using drugs, living an unchaste life, cursing, stealing, cheating, drinking to excess, lying, etc...are wrong no matter what religion you are.
I know we attempt to justify behaviors -- however a sin is a sin and I want to be that noble contradiction to those things. I will never achieve perfection -- I strive daily --- however I will make mistakes and trip up, but that's what I like about the noble contradiction statement. I think it indicates that we are going to "give it our best shot." We were doing our home teaching this week (bible study essentially) and we read something that said "after all that we can do"....and I thought that is so true -- God doesn't want us to sit on our bums and wait for salvation or a closer relationship with him. He waits for us to move towards him and after doing all that we can do to draw closer to him he pours out fully on us....
So I challenge you all to think about what being a noble contradiction means to you.... and be that.
