What Is Normal?
In a day of such diversity of culture and behavior, it is hard to determine what is normal. Some define normal as the status quo, or what the majority deems proper and correct. If everyone dyes their hair blue, then it is normal to have blue hair. If someone wants to go natural, they are deemed to be abnormal or weird. The Latin origin of this word, normãlis, was referring to a carpenter’s square. It served to establish a standard or norm by which to build a straight wall. Without this tool, the house would end up crooked, irregular or abnormal. Normal, then, is not what the majority consider to be normal, but what is correct. Normal is what a thing was meant to be, not what it has become.
One day Jesus was confronted by the religious leaders with a practice that had become normal, and that was the right to divorce for any reason. Jesus’ response brought them back to the beginning; to the normality established by God. He quoted from the book of Genesis (2.24) and then added: “whom God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Mat. 19.6) Faithfulness to the covenant of marriage is normal. Divorce is abnormal. God created the norm. Sin distorts it. We think that weeds in a garden is normal, but God created this earth free from thorns, thistles and weeds. Sin polluted the ground and made it difficult to produce crops. Don’t accept as normal, what God considers abnormal.
Have you ever thought about what is a normal Christian life? The norm was established in the Early Church. Their behavior and life-style was the way it was to be for the entire Church and for all of time. Yet, though the years, the Church has deviated far from normality. Most considered “normal” to go to church once a week, listen to a sermon, sing some songs and give an offering. Anything more than that is being fanatic or radical. If someone jumps, dances or shouts in their worship of God is it being extravagant or normal? Have we made being lukewarm normal? Maybe it is time to be God-normal once again.
In the early hours of May 29, 1914, the RMS Empress of Ireland sank in the icy Saint Lawrence River after colliding with the Norwegian ship, the SS Storstad. Of the 1,477 on board, 1,012 died. It was the largest of any Canadian maritime accident to date. The passengers included 167 members of the Salvation Army staff band who were traveling to London for an international conference. All but 8 died. As the survivors were later interviewed, many testified how these young Christians willingly gave up their life-vests so that others could be saved. The press called them heroes, but they were just being normal. Normal Christian life is to lay down your life for others. (I John 3.16).
In the Early Church, it was normal to forgive others their sins, just as they had been forgiven. It was normal to not consider what they had as their own and to willingly give to others. It was normal to prefer others better than oneself and to honor the weak. It was normal to pray for the sick and preach the Gospel in the market place. So much of what we consider extraordinary and fantastic, was just being normal. Maybe we all need to get back to being God’s normal. What do you think?
Scriptures to meditate on:
I John 3.16; Acts 2.42-47; 3.1-7; Phil. 2.5-11; Mark 16.15-18