The Un-Crowd

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2)

How important is popularity to you? Do you like being part of the “in-crowd?”

I was not a member of the “in-crowd” in high school and I wanted to break in. I don’t know if it was the coke bottle lenses on my glasses, my skinny, awkward frame or the fact that I was a poor girl growing up in a very wealthy environment, but in high school I was never named homecoming queen or class president.

So in college, I began a personal campaign to flee from the “un-crowd.” At homecoming, one of the fraternities published a newspaper that featured the “Female Airhead of the Year” awards and the “Super Female Airhead of the Year” awards.  I noticed the popular girls seemed to all make the list so I thought, “That’s it! I will act like an airhead.” God blessed me with some intelligence, but for the first couple of years in college, you wouldn’t have known I had a brain in this blonde head of mine. “Why study? There’s a party tonight.” I was goofy, loud and obnoxious and by my sophomore year of college I’d reached my goal in print, “Super Airhead of the Year.”

Is that newspaper framed on my wall? No. Was the distinction fulfilling? No. All I had was a less than stellar GPA to show for it and remorse that I wasn’t true to who God made me to be. I liked studying. I really didn’t like getting plastered every other night at parties because I didn’t feel well the next day. More importantly, as a Christian I was denying my true identity in Christ by conforming to the pattern of my college world. By my senior year of college I  started missing the parties, made Dean’s List and was reverting back to who I really was.

Even as adults, we desire to be in the in-crowd don’t we? But it doesn’t always jive with following Christ, so even though we know better, we compromise our standards to fit in. It has taken years for me to finally put Christ first in my life and the world second. I’m OK with being a nerd now.  Instead of my nose buried in books, I spend hours studying theology. I joke that I am the only person who has never been invited to play Bunko because I’m the “Church Lady.” If the “un-crowd” is where God wants me to be, that is where I’ll stay.

What about you? Does the need for popularity rule your life or does Christ rule?

Beginning Tuesday night, March 19th and Wednesday morning, March 20th, at Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church in Flower Mound, we’ll be looking at those in the Bible who God called out of the world into the “un-crowd.” People like Rahab, Jeremiah and Nehemiah who God used to accomplish his plan. It’s a new, original study written by Catherine Weiskopf with lectures from Rebecca Carrell and myself. We’d love for you to join us as we learn that following God sometimes requires us to do the unpopular thing.

Has the “in-crowd” been fulfilling for you? Do you want something more? Join us in March.