Or, how becoming Vegan has made me a more effective Christian...
If you ever want to have a good conversational debate…no, maybe more like get someone’s attention to what your saying…or no, not even that even, more like find a way to have someone tell you that what you are doing is crazy. Yeah, that’s it; if you ever want to find a way to have someone tell you that what you are doing is crazy, then just tell them you’ve become vegan. I would assume you would get pretty much the same response if you told them you were just thinking about becoming vegan, but they would be doing it thinking they still had a chance to save you from the horrible fate you are about to subject yourself to! At least that’s been my experience.
For the month of November, I decided to try veganism. Not the best month to start, I agree, but thanksgiving turned out to not be my biggest challenge, the reaction people had to my decision was. When I was looking for information before making my decision, I happened upon a blog which advised knowing the reason you are becoming vegan, before starting. If you don’t take this all important step, your chances for success are slim. Another site, recommended finding support through others, either in the form of online groups or groups in the local area. Wow, it was only a diet change here; did I really need a support group for this?
25 days in, and many opinions later, I have done a lot of reflecting, that is, between episodes of being just plain irritable from the reaction of others. I have reflected on how best to handle having something I’ve embraced, be so rejected by others. I admit, I can be sensitive, you just don’t always see it on the outside. I’m not a wave maker. I don’t like when others are upset, especially if it has to do with me, and I certainly am not one to completely buck the crowd. But in this area I thought I would, since I can do without meat anyway and my research showed so many health benefits.
So in my reflective funk I thought about how it’s easier to tell people I am a Christian who is fully committed to Christ, than it is to tell them I’m vegan. Well, the resulting response is easier to take anyway. But seriously, I feel that by being vegan and continually needing to defend my new eating style, I am also becoming a better witness to Christ, by being less sensitive to a negative reaction and better able to defend my position, which may be completely different than yours. People didn’t accept Christ, but He never stopped doing the work he was sent here to do. And He has begun a good work in me; may I never be too worried about my own feelings to be able to complete it. Even if, for me, it takes becoming a vegan, to strengthen that area of sensitivity in my life.
Got to run now, my tofu is ready!
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in [me] will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 1:6 (NAS)
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