SUDDEN SILENCE DESCENDED IN ANGIE AND LeeAnn's tiny kitchen. The two roommates; my husband, Chris, and I; and Pete, a non-Christian friend of ours, eyed each other momentarily. Pete had just suggested that we all take an online purity test "just for fun." It sounded all right to me—a little weird, but all right. Hey, I reasoned, at least Pete's hanging out with us. We should at least try to make him feel at home.

I glanced quickly at LeeAnn and saw a scowl wrinkling her forehead. But before I could ask her what was wrong, Pete broke the silence.

"I think we should do it!" He encouraged us, smiling. "Come on, you have nothing to hide. Besides, I'm probably the least pure person here anyway."

While Angie and Chris responded, I kept my eyes on LeeAnn. A months-old convert to Christianity, she had a painfully sensitive conscience. Right about now, however, I wished she could just switch it off.

30 New Things to Do

What's wrong with a little mindless fun? The question, posed to me recently by my husband, surfaced in my brain, and I wished I could ask it to LeeAnn. Pete was our friend. I didn't want to offend him by shooting down his idea, and besides, a little purity test couldn't do us any harm.

"Sure! I'll do it!" I spoke up before I could change my mind. "Just don't make me read my answers out loud." Pete groaned. "What are you talking about? That's half the fun!"

Across from me LeeAnn was scooting her chair away from the table. Not now, LeeAnn! I silently pleaded. Don't make him think we're weird! "I'm going to do something else," LeeAnn announced as she stood to her feet. "I don't think Jesus would approve of this."

Bang.

Suddenly my own conscience pressed hard on my heart. Since God couldn't get through to me nonverbally, He'd used LeeAnn as a means to convict me. Or had He?

In the uncomfortable silence that followed, I began to second-guess my convictions. LeeAnn could be a little fanatical at times. Wasn't it more important to win Pete's friendship than to alienate him with our rigid value system?

I wavered for a minute, undecided, and then Pete spoke up again. "Angie, where's your computer? Let's do this thing."

I should have recognized, at that moment, Pete's challenge to our moral standards. But I felt so torn! We'd been working on Pete for months, urging him to come to church with us and even convincing him to attend a local Easter play. Would refusing to take this purity test undo the friendship we'd already established?

Internally I balked—and in those moments of silence we three Christians remaining in the room made our decision. We'd sit this thing out.

Later, while LeeAnn watched Christian videos in her room, we blushed our way through what I knew instantly was a massive mistake. True, the questions weren't blatantly offensive. But as a whole, the character of the test served to trivialize things we all knew were wrong by making them sound glamorous and funny. All of us, that is, except Pete.

After the Fact
Weeks later, after a loving Christian rebuke from LeeAnn, I'm still thinking about that evening. Why didn't I stand up for myself and for God? Why didn't anyone else speak up either? Why did LeeAnn's conscience react so violently while mine only flashed small warning signs in the beginning? Most of all, though, my mind has returned again and again to Chris's unanswered question from several months before.

What's wrong with a little mindless fun?

When Chris first posed this question to me we'd just finished watching a typically mindless movie at some friends' house, and I had complained on the way home about actors who would do anything to get a laugh. Since I've always prided myself on my sensitive conscience, I answered his question readily—and a little too smugly.

"Mindless fun is OK," I remember saying, "but I'd rather be mindless with a group of friends than zoned out in front of a television. I don't argue with TV, and I usually don't turn it off. But I do take issue with my friends if they're bothering me."

Biblical Answers to the Best Excuses Ever If I don't do what everyone else does, I'll never be able to witness to them. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light . . . and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Eph. 5:6-11, NIV). I'm not disobeying my conscience. I really don't think there's anything wrong with—CC. "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. . . . When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall" (1 Cor. 8:9, 12, 13, NIV). If I just do these things in private, away from any non-Christians I might influence, there won't be a problem. "'Am I only a God nearby,' declares the Lord, 'and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?' declares the Lord. 'Do not I fill heaven and earth?' declares the Lord" (Jer. 23:23, 24, NIV). It's too late to change the impression I've already given. Why uproot my lifestyle now? "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:17, 18, NIV).

I thought the statement was true at the time, but now, after my experience with Pete and LeeAnn, I see myself as a hypocrite. I take issue with my friends? Hardly! Succumbing to the overwhelming urge to feel "normal" that night, I let a witnessing opportunity disappear into thin air. What does this say about my character?

Suddenly I am reminded of Jesus' words to His disciples: ">If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: "No servant is greater than his master." If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also'@ (John 15:19, 20).*

Here in America, where I live, we probably won't be persecuted like the early church for our Christian beliefs, but the principle of these verses still holds true. If we're really in tune with God, our standards and those of the world will consistently clash. Our friends will notice a difference, and they won't think we're normal.

This inevitable uniqueness scares me—just as I think it scares everyone in my generation—and we've simply closed our eyes to the Bible's clear call to be different.

The reasoning is really pretty simple. I'm weird enough already. I don't smoke, don't drink, don't chew—well, you know the rest—and I want to preserve at least some shred of common ground between myself and my non-Christian peers. I enjoy the similarities between myself and the rest of the world: I like today's fashions and pop music, and I identify with my peers' often cynical outlook on society. And although it seems shallow, I find at least some of my identity in these areas of common ground.

But what does God say?

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him" (1 John 3:1).

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy" (1 Peter 2:9, 10).

According to Him, all my identity is found in Christ! I am no longer a part of darkness. I'm His child, a child of the light! How can I presume to be Christian and yet use worldly lifestyle choices to give me a sense of self or worth?

Silly as it seems, this is exactly what I've been doing. (See the sidebar "Biblical Answers to the Best Excuses Ever" for a more thorough treatment of common justification reasoning.) And now that I recognize it, it's my job as a committed Christian to right the wrong I've been living. After much thought and prayer I've discovered some ways to willingly bring my entertainment choices into harmony with those God would support.

Realize Time Is Valuable
God's first creative act brought time into existence (Gen. 1:3-5). The heart of the Ten Commandments asks for a portion of our time to honor our Creator (Ex. 20:8-11). And Paul, in the New Testament, states, "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised" (Heb. 6:11, 12). Is there any doubt that the hours and minutes of our days matter infinitely more than we can imagine?

Just before high school I found a quote that still sits on my desk today: "Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time; for that's the stuff life is made of" (Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac [1746]).

Our very existence is measured in time's steady beat. At the close of our lives the sum of our actions and beliefs during our time on earth will determine where we spend eternity. Assuming we arrive in heaven, the memory of our time on earth is the only baggage we will take through those gates. We'll be conscious of all our mistakes and triumphs. And although Jesus promises to "wipe away every tear from [our] eyes" (Revelation 7:17), wouldn't it be great if His job was especially easy when He came to us in that line of the weeping saved? I don't know about you, but I want to shed as few tears as possible over my own regrets. And one way to ensure this is to value each minute of my life highly enough to make it meaningful.

Value Worthwhile Things
In light of the value of time, how often have I—or you, for that matter—wasted it on some useless form of entertainment? In my case, the instances pile up in my memory and remind me just how fallible I am. Bad movies, raunchy jokes, useless conversations, and so much more make me cringe when I remember them. Now, in the silence of my own writing room, surrounded by pictures of friends and family and nature, I realize where I've gone astray. But at the time of each event—at the moment my friends beg me to come watch a movie or my favorite TV show starts its theme music—I'm hard-pressed to know what's so wrong about what I'm doing.

I suppose if I weren't a Christian, there would be nothing "wrong" with listening to a little explicit music or watching a shallow television show. After all, everyone does it, right?

But I am a Christian, and I can't help thinking that if Jesus were staying in my guest room right now, He'd have a radically different take on entertainment than the rest of the world. How do I know? Again, it's pretty simple.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (Phil. 4:8).

God wants us to focus on things He has condoned. This means weighing every entertainment option against His infallible standard. It may rule out most typical Saturday night options, but in the end it'll be worth more than any cheap movie or trip to a club to hear Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matt. 25:23).

Admit the Importance of
Your Actions to Others
Christians, as "children of God" (1 John 5:19), are called to present Him in the best possible light. Whether we're in the presence of non-Christians or believers, we are, in His words, "the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14). Anyone may look to us for spiritual leadership. We have no idea which people watch us specifically, and that makes our responsibility all the more heavy. At any point our actions could be weakening the faith of a fellow (or potential) Christian. They could also be strengthening it. Which effect would you like to have?

Think about it. Does watching a movie filled with violence, swearing, and sexual innuendos portray your relationship with Christ in a positive light? Does selecting music filled with secular themes? Does spending your time in front of the TV instead of engaging in meaningful conversation?

Theoretically, we all should be eager to witness for Christ to those around us. But do our everyday actions nullify the "witnessing words" we rehearse with such care? If we really are "Christ's ambassadors" (2 Cor. 5:20), what language are we speaking to the people we're sent to talk with? The language of love, of Christian purity and genuine holiness? Or the easier-to-speak language of "I'm-a-Christian-but-I'm-still-as- cool-as-your-secular-friends-because- I-do-all-the-same-things-they-do"?

Don't get me wrong. Being a Christian doesn't automatically lower your "cool factor." In fact, as a devoted Christian you should still be able to attract the "in" crowd with no problem. Why? Not because you listen to the music they choose. Not because you frequent the places they consider the hottest. And definitely not because you know the rhyme to the latest beer commercial or the laugh line to last night's pop TV show. Simply because you exude confidence and love: confidence that your entertainment choices are in line with a higher standard than the world's, confidence that you require none of the usual trimmings to lead a fulfilled life, and a true love for the real pleasures God offers at every turn. With a combination like that, what Christian would have time to worry about keeping up with the newest blockbuster movies?

Consider Your Own Soul
Witnessing aside, though, there's another reason my choice of entertainment concerns me so much: me.

When "the day" finally comes, I won't be taking my friends along to stand before God and be judged. I'll walk up to God all alone and give an account of how I have lived. There will be no lawyer from Ally McBeal to urge me I'm right. No Britney Spears to sing for me as a defense, "Oops, I did it again." No Leno or Letterman to crack jokes on the side. It'll be me. And God. And the scales. Does my meager life balance out to merit eternity in heaven? Or does it leave me wanting, unwilling to choose God again and again over the years?

I already know the answer. Regard-less of how "perfectly" I've lived my life, I will be found wanting. We all "fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).

But here's where the good part kicks in. If (and this is a big if) I'm a real Christian and not just a churchgoing pagan, Someone will step forward while I stand condemned. He'll place His hand lightly on my side of the scales. He'll glance at His Father and then look back at me, and I'll see the love in His eyes as He speaks in my defense.

He'll say I'm one of His children. He'll say He's known me from the moment I was born until now—known me more fully than I've known myself. He'll say He was with me the day I gave my life to Him, and He's seen my struggle every day afterward to follow His perfect example. He'll cite examples of how He's pruned me, shaped me, let me grow and let me fall, and He'll say I've fully accepted His blood on my behalf. He'll say I love Him with all my heart, and He knows it for sure. And as I watch, His hand will place a little more weight on those scales until His work on my behalf earns me a pass into heaven. It will be the happiest day of my life.

This cannot occur if I don't "love the Lord . . . with all [my] heart and with all [my] soul and with all [my] strength" (Deut. 6:5). Jesus has done the work for me, but if I don't accept it—if I don't offer my whole self in return—His work at the cross is as meaningless as my hollow existence without Him.

Out of love for my Savior my life will change, and I will not be the person I was before I met Him. I will be new. Different. A chosen person. A child of the light. An ambassador. I'll be empowered to stand for the things of heaven although I live among the things of this world.

Live in the World, but Not of It
All this idealism is nice, you may be thinking right now, but let's look at the facts! I'm still a part of this world, and nothing will change that until Jesus comes!

You're right. You are a part of this world, and so am I. Realistically, "all this idealism" must take root in reality and shed light on tangible people and places. And after looking at the standard Jesus has set in Matthew 5:48, this task seems nearly impossible. How can we reach a secular world without knowing something about what makes it turn? How can we always make wise choices about what entertainment is noble, right, and pure—and what is something less?

There's a balance here, and I think a mature Christian can find it. Me? I'm still searching. But the sidebar "30 New Things to Do" lists some things that have helped me along the way. Please feel free to use them or take them as a challenge to come up with your own exciting ideas.

We can't escape the fact that we live in a world in which horror movies gross millions a year. But that doesn't mean we should rent all those movies in order to understand our neighbors better. Instead, why not learn the plots of the most popular movies and develop a response for those who ask why you haven't watched them? Something along the lines of "From what I've [read, heard, seen], this movie deals with [the occult, violence, etc.], and although I know these things are real, I don't feel I should watch a movie that uses them for entertainment."

After a statement like this some people will laugh. Others will shrug it off. But many more will look at you incredulously (or guiltily, as the case may be) and ask, "Why?"

Bingo.

You've just created a witnessing tool. At their request you can tell them openly about your Christian experience. And since you just stood up for your faith in a tangible way, your comments will have extra punch. Done with appropriate humility for yourself and confidence in God, this exchange could make a lasting impression on the person you share it with. Maybe even an eternal one.

This is just one example, but I do believe it's possible to be "in and not of" in virtually every circumstance. Know about the latest TV shows without watching them every night. Understand the newest concepts sweeping society. Keep up with the news. And you should be fine. Not drowning in the floodwaters of secular society. But not denying their existence either. Perhaps standing on the shore, offering a lifeboat . . .

Love Never Fails
If any of this article has seemed stuffy and demanding to you, then please—keep reading! Composing this study took serious thought and prayer on my part, and I hope it will inspire the same thing on yours. Entertain-ment is a serious topic in today's church, especially for people in my generation. I feel the challenge (and would like to pass it on to you) to stand up for my standards and risk being different, to truly become salt and light in my sphere of influence. I don't know about you, but I've been comfortably lukewarm for much too long. It's time for action.

On the other hand, none of this can be accomplished without real joy in our hearts. Another way of saying "Faith without deeds is useless" (James 2:20) is to quote Hosea 6:6: "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." If we sacrifice our usual entertainment with a grudging heart and a shallow desire to avoid God's punishment in the long run, our right actions are useless. But if we first realize that a change in lifestyle will bring us closer to our Creator and King, then willingly act out the change in love, we will bless others as well as ourselves.

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us" (2 Peter 2:11, 12).

Wouldn't you like to hear your non-Christian friends glorifying God? Wouldn't you like to glorify Him yourself? I urge you, then, as this verse suggests, to join me. Let's examine our lives and bring them into harmony with God's perfect standards.

Besides, who cares about missing a few puny shows here, when, if we follow God's guidelines, we'll see the best show in the universe on the other side of eternity!

*All Bible references in this article are from the New International Version.

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Sarah Coleman Kelnhofer writes from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, where she lives with her husband, Chris. Backpacking in the mountains is her favorite form of entertainment.