Davey Crockett, and ex-girlfriend, and other characters or outsiders

I am not a great student of history. I enjoy the stuff actually but I am a victim of public schooling and laziness quite frankly so I can't properly evaluate many famous historical characters. I was flipping stations on t.v. the other night and came across "The Alamo" movie with Billy Bob Thornton as Davey Crockett. It was the tale end of the film so I didn't bother to watch it, yet it got me to thinking. Man, it was an incredibly different world not that long ago. I often wonder how characters like Davey Crockett, Lewis and Clarke, others from the pages of history textbooks would fit in to the 21st century. I think of this particularly in light of the fact that all people generally are sort of the same in today's world.

I know that there are all different kinds of people and even personalities so that is not what I mean. What I mean is that people who truly are different and are real characters have a hard time fitting in unless they are so talented that they can afford the label eccentric or "a real character." I wonder how many people in our society may be homeless or in prison because they just have always felt outsiders wherever they may be. Perhaps Davey Crockett would have been classified as having ADHD if he were growing up today. Who knows? I know now that society has an outlet for the real testosterone, courageous tough guys who can find a niche in Ultimate Fighting. A good thing I guess.

Brings me to the church. I've talked to many people who seem to understand the gospel, claim to be Christian, yet never go to church. I can easily point out to them the error of their position of it's "just me an Jesus" individualism. I also think one may use that as a smokescreen because a good church will preach about sin and cause conviction and clearly it is good to weed out those people who really aren't serious about following Christ. Still, there is reason for me to think that those things that make one an "outsider" in the world, then I am sure they exist within the walls of the church, perhaps even more so.

An ex-girlfriend of mine made me aware of this years ago. Many times we end up in relationships because of close proximity. I met my first girlfriend on the job and I'm sure if we met at another place we would have never "hooked up" so to speak. She was a tomboy to say the least and so non-intellectual, yet she was so trusting of people and just a deep down good person. She was the person who first brought me to church and we were together for about a year. And over that time I tried to change her, tried to refine her, make her more presentable. I wanted her to read more, go back to school, quit smoking, and a few other things. While I was doing that she also sensed the same thing happening at church only it was different. Nobody at church to my knowledge ever said anything to her but she clearly felt like an outsider there. Women's groups were totally foreign to her and she always want to hang out with guys over girls ( and she sure could throw a fastball..lol!) Many people who first join churches feel like outsiders but because they wish to "belong" they observe and find a way to fit into the mold. I guess because some new people join churches and find "their way" that many in the pulpit and in the pews tend to take a hands off approach to new faces walking in the door. This is not going to happen for some new faces and nor should it. I admire people who remain true to themselves and don't become a cookie cutter Christian and quickly latch on to the Christian sub-culture. Unfortunately these authentic people often are left behind and are shipwrecked from the joys of being part of the family of God.

I have no answer as to how the culture is going to condescend to those out here who may have been valued in a different time or a different place. Most likely there will be those who will slip through the cracks because no one is giving them direction on where an "ADHD" or another misfit person may succeed here in America. But as far as the church goes should'nt this be a different matter? Shouldn't we as followers of Christ, rather than be above the fray of the so-called "character," "outsider," or "misfit"....instead should we not condescend to make those "unlike" us feel the joy of "belonging, while at the same time feel no need or urgency to make them more "like us?"