Christians as contrarians

The Broken Messenger has posted a fine article on how the Christian life is foolishness to the world. Is the Christian way really a life of mindless conformity, in opposition to the enlightened skepticism of the intellectual? Brad doesn't think so:

. . . boiled down, Christians are contrarians to the world’s general point of view. Often it is perceived that the progressive, the individualist, the intellectual and the separatist are the ones moving counter to cultural norms and to the traditional views of society. It is they, so they claim, who . . . champion freethinking, personal liberties and individuality. In reality, however, they are only attempting to grab the latest trend, counter-trend, or the vision of something greater than themselves in order to satisfy their dreams, to bring them health, to find inner peace or to gain wealth - all of which leads to one common thing and to fuel one ordinary hope that is neither new nor revolutionary: to draw attention to one's self.

Christians (that is, those who do not merely "play church") believe that God is to be the ultimate center of attention. It is the pursuit of God that is embraced to be the worthwhile cause. Instead of expending energies to please themselves, they seek to devote their time and attention to serving those things that promote Him and that proclaim Him. They see truth not as what is defined by the shifting sands of a skeptical and indecisive world, but defined instead by the foundation of God Himself. So it is that the Bible (believed as the Word of God) is the benchmark by which all truth is to be gauged, instead of a standard that is reliant upon the senses and capabilities of a humanity that is prone to habitual error and is in constant disagreement.

Amen, amen, and amen.