When I was in radio a few years ago, I became familiar with a type of, shall we say, "enthusiastic" listener known as a "Crusader." A Crusader is a very passionate and outspoken person, which, in some respects is not necessarily a bad thing. A person who is freely animated by their passions has the ability to bring a lot to the table, in addition to whatever anyone else brings to the table.
However, a Crusader is a person who is not only very eager to bring his stuff to the table, but he does so with the thought that everyone should be equally as enthused and excited as he is about what he has brought. He becomes unsettled and dismayed when others don't immediately jump on his bandwagon, and he may not even understand how others could not be absolutely thrilled about it!
In radio, a Crusader might be a listener who is all gaga over a new artist or song, and he calls and writes the station, insisting that the song be played in heavy rotation - all because he is infatuated with it! Or it may be quite the opposite. He may abhor a certain artist or song, and he isn't shy at all about letting the station know, over and over again, that they shouldn't be playing that song - all because he doesn't like it! There are many other ways in which the "Crusader" comes out of a person, but in short, a Crusader wants his way and wants everybody to want what he wants and to see what he sees. He's relentlessly insistent that everybody not only "gets" him, but goes along with him and does things exactly like he does.
Christianity has its share of Crusaders. As a recovering Crusader myself, I can vouch for what it's like to be one and I can understand and be sympathetic to other Crusaders, while at the same time admonishing against Crusader-type behavior. In the body of Christ, a Crusader might be a person who has a certain "gift" that he legitimately and predominantly operates in (as examples: evangelism, giving, teaching), and he thinks that everyone else should operate in the same gift to the same extent that he does. Or a Crusader might be a person who has a passion for a specific cause (such as feeding the hungry or having a strong youth program), and he can't see why everyone else doesn't get excited about those things like he does. A Crusader may have a zeal for or against a certain doctrine or set of ideas, and wants everybody to get on the same page as him, right here and right now.
Crusaders come in all kinds of different shapes, colors and flavors, and each Crusader might truly have legitimate hopes, passions, gifts and causes to be excited about. But what Crusaders generally fail to see is that, while they are walking in their own God-given dreams and desires, not everybody else has exactly those same dreams and desires! Crusaders tend to be limited in their view of the body as a whole. Their vision of God doing all kinds of different things through all kinds of diverse and assorted people, tends to be clouded.
The body of Christ is one "unit." Although it is made up of many different parts, the parts all make up one body (see 1 Cor 12:12, NIV). Each part of the body of Christ is unique. We're not meant to all be the same. We're not all meant to do the same things. We're not all meant to get excited and passionate about the same things. We don't all have the same "function" within the body. It would be a very messed up body if all the parts were the same part!
As different as we all are, can we all be passionate about what God is doing in and through each other? You bet! What better way to celebrate the God-given uniqueness of each other than to lift up and exalt the diverseness through which God is making the one body work as a whole!
Wow! I just figured that I am a Crusader. Or may be a recovering one.
ReplyDeleteGreat reminder, Joel! It is this perspective that makes us to be at peace with ourselves even when we see/encounter a lot believers who aren't very "like-minded".
Thanks for such gentle, yet powerful reminder!
I think all of us have at least a little bit of a Crusader in us. :) I think it's great for each of us to stand for what we believe in, as that can be a really good thing. But indeed, if we could only have more and more of that peace within ourselves when we're in situations with others with whom we see things differently, perhaps we could recover more and more from our "Crusader-ism" (LOL).
ReplyDeleteYes Joel I can see what you are saying here,yet as one body with many parts, it is thorugh the Holy Ghost in each believer that does the work needed for Salvation onto others that do not yet believe and or need growth, I know I need growth, and do learn a lot from others as well as what I have learned I share, so in essence those that are believers are crusaders, yet we step out of the Holy Ghost when we are looking for reward here and now, or expecting others to see what we see, then it is possible we might walk by flesh which no flesh pleases God and I know I slip back to flesh more than i like, anyway thopught I put in my two cents since I am a crusader as well, but not for my own gain, thanks Howard
DeleteYep indeed, Howard. In this post, I'm not really talking about the various ways in which each of us shares the gospel with others, and shares our thoughts, dreams and passions with others. I think it's great for all of us to do these things, as God works in us to share all these wonderful things.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, I'm using the word "Crusader" in a negative, unfavorable way, such as what I experienced at the radio station with listeners who were adamant and insistent about how they thought things should be, and were generally blind or ignorant to the idea that things could be any different from how they saw things.
I think we should all be able to be free to share our hearts with others, but there just comes a point in which some people become overbearing with their dogmatism.
Yes Joel I have had that, and it can be frustrating,yet everyone has the right to speak and I am not going to deny that right for if I do then in effect I deny my own. Now I can reject the dogma or I, we can take this to God in our hearts and ask for the sifting of what concerns us and God will remove the Chaff from the wheat and we will have learned a lot, and anger and frustration will have disapeared. this is what I love about God, the Holy Ghost sets all trhings straight in me, for my flesh wants to get in the way of Dogma. I remember there is a time for everything, Hope this helps for I have been through this as well. God told me just let it be, for in God's time all will be set straight, I (God) just loves you and all as shown from the cross of his Son Jesus, So let it all be well with your Soul. Actions always speak louder than words, just love from the HolyGhost as you know you are loved
ReplyDeleteAlso Joel When I read in matthew chptr 10, I read about you will be dragged through synagogues and courts for Jesus's sake. I took this personal and thus read and heard. Do not worry for any reply of what is to be said, for through your trust in me (God) I (God) will give you the right words at the right time with such logic (power) that no opponent will be able to reply. This is on a case by case basis, and I am still growing in stature and wisdom from this as you are. People went against Jesus from every direction, and Jesus just stood for the truth, as we do today,for what I discovered is die to my flesh and blood, in romans 6,7, not sure which chapter in a verse he said reckon thyself dead to your flesh, and serve God with the inward man of you, which makes no mistake. In other words relax God has got your back just love all as he has loved you especially those that go against you. Railing accusations and so forth. Count it all joy when ones flesh tries to revive when ones flesh is dead. Being in this world we are ambassadors representing the kingdom of Heaven the Love, the Joy, the peace, and the righteousness in the Holy Ghost. Now the advarsary does come and throw everything at you to get you to walk out of flesh, for no flesh can please God, only Jesus and Jesus overcame this world, so you in Jesus also already overcame this world for you died to flesh as well. Love you Joel, Howard
DeleteYep, no worries, Howard. :) I had no one in mind when I wrote this. I had been having a conversation with others on Facebook about memories from a radio station that I used to work at, and then those thoughts began to mix together with other thoughts in my mind, and that's simply how this blog post came about.
DeleteMy intention was never to make a huge issue out of this. :) In the post I used the word "admonish," but I think Bino said it better in his comment. It's simply a gentle "reminder" to any and all of us who are pushy or arrogant when discussing our views with others, and trying to get points across to others.
Wow, Joel thanks man yes it is, ans akll will know,
DeleteHoward