Insiders and Outsiders Part two

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"The next day, John saw Jesus coming towards Him and said, 'Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29 NKJV

Yesterday we looked at the role of Outsiders.- - the Etic perspective. Today let's look at Insiders, who look at the outsiders. This is called the Emic perspective.

John the Baptist was an Insider. He knew Jesus, he was a practitioner and had the spiritual knowledge of who he was and what He was here for. Initially, he was talking to outsiders when he told John and Andrew about Him 'Behold. The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.' (John 1:29). They very quickly became insiders as they pursued Jesus and became His followers. 

Basically, an insider is one who 'knows Jesus' The insider has gone into the Internal Frame of of Reference. They know who the  person is. They may not be able to explain it fully yet but they have inward knowledge. That is what it is like when you come to know Jesus as Your Lord and Saviour.

Outsiders cannot understand where an insider is coming from. They do not have that inner feeling - the Holy Spirit. Insiders know that when they come face to face with an outsider, it can be difficult to explain why they read the bible; go to church or speak freaky language about Jesus. Now the outsider may be searching for something that the insider has - Jesus. Alternatively, they may be curious about how a Christian reacts to things differently than the norm. I remember a mental health social worker who visited a Christian patient at home. When he returned to the office, he told me that she was very strange and he was quite concerned as she talked about her faith endlessly and had various bibles around the place. He felt that this was over the top. He may have been right. However, I happened to know this patient and knew that she was a Christian through and through but had hit a bad time and was depressed. The problem was, the other social worker, found it very difficult to accept what I told him and I got the feeling that he was concerned about my mental health too.

This can be a problem. When an outsider, especially a professional in a particular field, meets up with an insider - one who is living for Jesus; speaks in tongues; reads the bible and prays. Labels can be attached. Outsiders need to assess things more clearly when they are advised that a particular insider has a belief system that is different from theirs. The purpose of studying religion is to make the strange familiar, and the familiar strange. The truth is, that which is strange to the unbeliever, is familiar to the believer and vice versa. This is where misunderstandings happen.

Again it is down to the Christian individual (the insider) to get their faith over to the outsider, if it is necessary. The outsider cannot understand what is happening, especially if they go to a Charismatic church where people are laying all over the floor shouting out to Jesus. However, with patience and empathy, an insider can help the outsider to know what they're witnessing. Let's face it, you were once an outsider looking in. That is until the day Jesus invited you to 'Come and see.' Then you knew. 

Before I became a Christian, I thought most Christian people were crazy people. Now I've joined them and I'm glad.The persecution, violence and insults that Christians suffer throughout the world are done by outsiders - people who do not understand our viewpoint. 

I think God wants us to put them right, don't you?

Why not drop me an email. dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com