Get a Little Weird … It’s a Revolution

Steal a brain. Igor had one job. It was pretty simple. Steal a brain.

Head to the lab and get the brain for our monster, so was the instructions of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein gave to his assistant Igor. And he did. But when the monster awoke, Dr. Fred realized Igor had gotten the wrong brain. When asked whose brain he got, he said, “Abby something …. Abby Normal.”

Classic scene from Young Frankenstein.

But I ponder, if he had gotten my brain, would it be different too? Normal just isn’t working. Look around us – hate, confusion, division, greed, racism, moral standards stretched (or even thrown out), selfishness, and more. And in the church – pride, arrogance, selfishness, judgmental attitudes … and lifestyles that look more like the world than that which you see in Scripture.

This is not an article of condemnation, but hopefully a word to encourage us to be different. But a difference with a purpose.

Matthew says Jesus went throughout the land teaching the gospel, teaching followers. And in chapters 5 to 7, we get the best summation, a powerful description, of what it looks like for a follower, and a community of followers, to be completely surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. And it is a counter-cultural, radical, and revolutionary lifestyle that is, well, weird. It is different than the world’s take …

• Blessed are the meek … not the power brokers or arrogant
• Turn the other cheek … not the “bring a gun to a knife fight” mentality
• Lay up treasures in heaven … not in banks, property, etc
• Even anger is dangerous and undesired, equal to murder … not the “only our actions are what matters”
• Only one way to heaven … not “all roads lead to heaven”
• Love your enemy …
• and so much more

Can you imagine if we loved this way. People would take notice. They may mock us and take advantage of us, or they may admire us and desire to know what makes us different. But they can’t ignore us. And the reason we do this is to bring Him pleasure and to let others see Jesus in us.

Too many times, I see myself more worldly than spiritual. But I also know God’s not finished with me yet. I am still learning and growing and surrendering and not giving up.

Maybe one day, when my brain is stuck on a shelf in a pickle jar … and Igor grabs my brain … it will be a brain that is known as loving, kind, compassionate, full of grace, and pointing to Jesus.

And if that’s abnormal, I’m okay with that. I’m a revolutionary.

What about you?