I read a lot. That is a gross understatement. Reading is one of my favorite past times. If you had known me when I was in grade school and high school you would never have believed that I would become an avid reader; much less an author. For those in my graduating class (all 28 of them) their vision of me is anchored in the past. Practically everything I've done with my life has been outside of their expectations. I've become stranger than fiction to many over the years. Sometimes I even amaze myself. To be absolutely honest here I need to tell you that this lifestyle is gladly chosen. I love to be outside the box regardless who's box it is.
While Hollywood has done it's share of stranger than fiction, that idea is and should be there. They are in the business of entertaining people. At least that's what they call it. Some movies are stranger than fiction and I wonder why they even spent the money making the movie. It's not much different with television shows. Imagination brings about reality as a self fulfilling prophecy. What happens is the expectations are greater and greater for those entertained while their minds adjust to a new level of absurdity. What is stranger than fiction is the way people live their lives surrounding this or that show/movie.
Reality is stranger than fiction. Maybe because so many live fantasy lives. We want to be like...., live like...., have like...., you see the pattern. I wish this was just in the area of worldly people. It's not though. This is the pattern within the Christian community alike. Don't believe me? What would the world learn about you and I if ALL our thoughts were spoken out loud? After we were done freaking we would spend all of our time trying to not think of that...! Tell me it isn't true! Most people around us cannot handle reality. Now that may cause you to think I am biased. Okay, I am. But society has made me this way! Waa! Take a look at the number of people who are on medications to help them with "reality"? We don't want stranger than fiction so we create different stranger than fiction choices that soon become a new normal.
Another "stranger than fiction" part of our lives is our children. Yes, it's true, they are stranger than fiction. Especially from around age 12 to 25. I'm sure glad that we weren't that way when we were that age! Where do they get these ideas of how to live? They certainly didn't come from us, their parents. What happened and when? One day my daughter has her original hair color and then over the next 12 months it's different colors. I don't remember what her natural color is now. That would be stranger than fiction! My 17 year old was talking logic and theology with me the other day. He has a very persuasive manner loaded with lots of knowledge. Where did that come from? I'm just glad he is where he is.
We sit back every day and watch stranger than fiction walk by us at the office, drive by us in their cars and interact with people in various ways. Even God says that the believers are a "peculiar people". He should know. He created us! We're to be set apart, believers, and an example of Jesus to our world. Have any of you witnessed a miracle lately? I have! That was stranger than fiction and I loved it! When Jesus tapped on your heart and you asked him to come in you had a stranger than fiction event. Why? Because you were loved from the beginning by God. God created stranger than fiction. If you don't believe me just read the Bible. A flood that killed all but 8 people who were in a large ark that a man and his sons made while surrounded by dry land. Not stranger than fiction enough? God caused 2 of every animal to enter the ark to preserve his creation. Wow!
There are some who don't look for the stranger than fiction part of the world they live in. However, it is there if they would choose to look around. God is awesome! He has created us in His image! THAT is stranger than fiction and outside the box. God created the box too! We would do well to look at Jesus and believe in him. He took living and dying to a new level of commitment in order that you and I could be labeled stranger than fiction by the world we live in. We are a peculiar people called by God to do his work and bring glory to Him. That's it. We are stranger than fiction.
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