I try not to make assumptions about people because my life experiences have taught me that appearances are not always what they seem.  I can’t count the number of times (unfortunately) that I have admired a couple’s seemingly happy marriage only to hear that they are getting a divorced.  And I have been shocked more than once when a white-bred suburban friend has told me about their love of hip-hop and R&B–and I’m talking back in the day when the world wasn’t as musically integrated as it is now.  Nope, you just can never tell about some people.  Take my young friend Stuart for example: looking at his photo you wouldn’t think that he knows about and celebrates African American culture, but seriously this dude is down in the most colloquial sense of the word.   And just so you don’t get it twisted by his hilarious and life observational Seinfeld-esque tweets, keep following him on Twitter and you will see that he’s a Christian always speaking the truth and standing on God’s word.  Stuart is an inspiration to know.

In this area of faith, my husband and I are an anomaly in our current environment and as such have certain assumptions made about us.  Because of where we live (intown Atlanta, not a suburb) and our kids go to a very progressive school and of course because we both have dreadlocks, it is assumed that we are a reflection of our environment (and hair).  Comments are often made to us or about us that are meant to affirm or agree with what people think our values are.  This is the problem with assumptions and not taking the time to really get to know someone versus who you think they are according to superficial criteria.

Well if you don’t know, now you know.  We are dread-lock wearing, tattoo-having, hip-hop-listening, intown-living, funki-dressing, fun-loving, Bible-believing, God-honoring, Jesus-loving Christians.   *Gasp!*–Yes, it’s true that Christians can look like us and act like us too!  ”Great” you say….until I am in a high school parent meeting with you and I say that my husband and I do not believe that our kids should drink under-age, do drugs (at any age) or have pre-marital sex (although really this is just common sense).  Or when I say that no, I don’t believe that people should get divorced just because they are “unhappy”–they should really try to honor their commitment to God and each other and work it out (again really not a Christian thing, just common sense).  Or any number of statements that I can make that are contradictory to my environment and the world at large.   Right…uh-huh, we are those kind of Christians.  See, now why are you looking at me like I have 3 heads when we were cool just a minute ago?

BUT I’ll tell you what:  If you promise to not make assumptions about me, like all dread heads smoke weed or that all Christians are home-schooling 18 member families (not that there’s anything wrong with that) then I promise not to assume that you can’t dance because you wear Dockers or that you are a heathen going to hell in a hand basket.  Deal?