I am an OUTCAST!

I have discovered an up and coming artist who I'm falling in love with. Her name is Kerrie Roberts - I know right? Stirs images of some little cutsie, blond hair in a ponytail bopping cheerleader type, right?  WRONG This chick kicks butt. She jumps right out in your face, and Godsmacks you with the truth. I LOVE it.

That said, you best strap in cause I'm 'bout to get all up in your face with some serious truth. I am. . .an outcast. And I am rocking it as hard as I can. I discovered a long time ago that I am not the image of a good girl. I've never been good enough, I've never been what "they" want. I've rarely fit in, and I am definitely a weirdo. I'm an extreme Jesus Freak without a filter. If you get close, it's liable to spill on you, so if you don't want a dose of that anointing you might want to back off b/c I don't hold back, and I don't apologize.

This afternoon, I heard this marvelous song that I was certain was written about me. I just sort of sate there slack jawed, listening to the words, "I'm not good enough, I'm not what they want. But let me tell you what, I know who I am! So just throw me out, I'm not fitting in. I will stand my ground and be an outcast." As inappropriate as it may be (considering this is supposed to be a God glorifying blog) I can't help but stand up and yell, "Hell yeah baby!" I mean, seriously, its about time don't you think?

How many of us "outcasts" have struggled to confrom before finally giving up and accepting that we are exactly who He's made us to be? I was in Hot Topic the other day with my son, and when we came out I ran into someone I know through professional circles. She looked at me, didn't say hello, but said, "Holli! I thought you were a Christian? What are you doing in that place?" I turned around and looked to make sure Hot Topic hadn't turned into a den of inquity in the ten seconds since I'd walked out, and turned back and said, "What do you mean?" See, she had this idea of what a Christian, Godly woman is supposed to look. Translation; good girls don't shop at Hot Topic. Good girls don't buy their kids wrist cuffs with studs or shop the sales rack for colorful, sassy unmentionables. I told her I was pretty sure God didn't care as much about the outside of my vessel as He did about the cleanliness of the inside. (I didn't outright call her a Pharisee, but it was running through my mind.) She kind of did that self righteous, prissy, "humph" thing that good, Godly women do, and just walked off. I just shook my head.

I'm reminded constantly of the folks Jesus hung out with. Take Mary Magdalene for example. I mean, seriously. . .a woman of the night, a temptress, a harlot (let's call it what it is) a whore. And He let this dirty, outcast woman wash His feet, and then dry them with her hair. Can you say INTIMATE?? Think not? Stop and think about for a second; bent low, her face on the skin of His feet, submitted completely, weeping, and then drying Him with her hair. Wow. Later she anointed Him; again, a very intimate act. And yet the Savior of the world, God incarnate didn't shun her. He didn't tell her to go clean herself, to change anything about herself, but rather He openly embraced her, and allowed HER to minister to HIM.

Mary Magdalene - Outcast. Friend of Jesus.

Holli Stevenson - Outcast - desperate daughter of the King.

I've decided I really don't care anymore. Like me, love me,  hate me, kick me to the curb. Worse things have been done to better people and if that's the best you have to offer humanity as a Christian or a "minister" then you got lots bigger problems than I do by being an outcast. It's the worth the sacrifice of popularity or fitting into a certain group to know that I'm not doing something I don't beleive in.

Consider the outcast - I think there are three groups of people. Those who are outcast, those who judge the outcast, and those who love the outcast.

Which category do you fit into?