 |
| Jay Kenworthy is a junior journalism major and writes 'Media Timeout' for the Daily News. His views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. |
You may have noticed a new clothing trend on campus this past week. It's apparently the hottest spring fashion: a simple maroon T-shirt with the words "Real Life" printed proudly on the front.
Nearly 300 students are sporting these shirts, but the story is not in the shirt's message. Instead, the story lies beneath the clothing, inside the person who wears the shirt.
These students have found real life through Jesus Christ. These students use Campus Crusade for Christ as an outlet for their faith and the Real Life campaign as an outward expression thereof, but the motivation is intrinsic.
Many of these students have been believers as long as they can remember. Others have tried to find real life through other pleasures and then turned to Christ. Still others were good people who lived moral lives, but something was missing.
The back of the Real Life shirts quotes Jesus Christ.
"I have come that they may have life and have it to the fullest." (John 10:10)
It is, of course, possible to live a real life without a relationship with Jesus Christ. Thousands of people on this campus and millions worldwide do it every day, but the peace, joy and love that can be experienced through Jesus is unmatched.
Galatians 5:22 tells us that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Those are the things that make up real life.
But what about the person who has those things without Jesus Christ? They are out there, are they not? I would argue that, no, they aren't out there. Not completely.
Jesus says in John 6 that no one can come to heaven except through himself.
"I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."
The students wearing the Real Life T-shirts have tasted what Jesus has to offer, and they will never go back to bread alone.
This is the mission of the real life campaign -- which has also featured ads in the Daily News, flyers on campus and table tent advertisements -- to show students what Jesus really does have to offer.
There is no big culmination of events as there was with last semester's After Dark campaign. That campaign was aimed at reaching a mass of students at one time. Instead, this is a chance for one-on-one conversations.
This is a chance for Real Lifers to ask you what is real in your life. I encourage you to listen to what they have to say.
This is also a chance for you, if you are interested, to ask a Real Lifer what it means to them. In fact, you can ask me.
I'm proud to say I have real life through Jesus Christ, and I would be thrilled to tell you about my experiences.
Join the fashion trend, but not just with the maroon shirt.
Write to Jay at jdkenworthy@bsu.edu
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
