As a senior, this was my last year to enjoy this event. I was honored to be able to take one of my best female friends as my date. We had a blast: she had never been around so many military people before and was intrigued by what we do. I had a good time getting to be all formal and show her a good time. I was even able to show her a few of the dance moves that I picked up in my Dance 160 class (it paid off already!). Every year, I've taken one of my good friends as my date and I was able to complete the tradition this year. One of them even made a picture to commemorate (most recent year on the far right).
It really is a different environment for people who aren't used to it. Having been a cadet for four years now, I forget how foreign an environment the army can be for outsiders. One thing that Jilian (my date this year) said that stuck in my mind was something to the effect of "I haven't been around so many non-believers for a long time...it's so different from what I'm used to." She said that after we walked onto the dance floor only to see cadets and their dates dancing provocatively with one another (a style of dance that we were careful not to emulate) to some fairly offensive music- being played by a drunk DJ no less.
It is true. For Christians that stick mainly to their own christian communities, seeing the world in all of its raw reality can be kind of shocking. Most of the kids in Salt Company (the college ministry I'm part of) dance either real dances like swing, or stand around in same sex groups jumping around in time to the beat of the music (never any music that could be considered offensive). Even for me, it's strange to see the difference; before the ball started and we were still taking class pictures, all most of my peer could talk about was how they couldn't wait to get out of here and go get hammered, speaking in great detail of the insane concoctions that they were going to make to ensure that they got as drunk as possible as fast as possible. One cadet even mentioned to me that it was his goal to get me drunk that night. In a time now past, I would have been tempted to say yes, but gladly I can say that I do not find such things to be God honoring and therefore, my resolution to remain steadfast in character remains unshaken.
What really amazes me about these situations is that so often, I observe that these activities are simply taken for granted by non-believers as the normal thing to do: as if choosing any other late night past time would be a waste of time. Now I want to be clear that I'm not judging or condemn anyone- I love all my ROTC brothers and enjoy time spent messing around with them. I'm just using this as an example to illustrate my point.
When Christians are shocked at the behavior of the world, I think we have to take a step back and ask why we are so shocked. First of all, we are told that we should expect just this:
"For you have spent enough time in the past doing what the pagans choose to do- living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead." (1 Peter 4: 3-5)
It is right that Christians should choose to separate themselves from the activities of unbelievers. If they don't, how else would they be identified as a holy people set apart for God? Yet the last part of the above verse should cause us to perk up our ears: "they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead." Those who don't know Jesus will have to answer for their actions. If they don't change their ways, they will be condemned to hell. That should worry us to no end. We, like our God, should "take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather desire that they turn from their ways and live."
To that end, we cannot live totally cloistered lives and keep to our own little "holy huddles." Jesus never intended that. He Himself went out among sinners so much that the Pharisees accused him of being a drunkard because he associated with "those types". Jesus even prayed to the Father that we would be involved in the world:
"I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you would take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world even as I am not of it...As you have sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world." (John 17: 14-18)
I confess that I am not exactly leading the way in this area. Evangelizing is my biggest weakness as a christian. I am safe and comfortable just staying in the confines of my own friend group- all of whom are believers already. But as one wise man put it: if you follow Jesus at a safe distance, your relationship with him will be safe and distant. But by God's grace I hope to become more purposeful about sharing my beliefs with others. ROTC is a great starting place: I see non believers every single day there and we have to work together. What a great opportunity God is giving me that I have been mostly wasting. I would challenge all my readers to seek out opportunities to share what they believe as well: at work, in class, or whatever. If you don't already believe and you're reading this, consider yourself evangelized! It's no accident you're reading this and I'd love to have a conversation with you about Jesus.
Till next time! Stay classy ;)
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