I had just sat down-on the edge of my seat-one chair away from the last VIP, in the semicircle set up, when Chonda Pierce strolled through the door. She was met with immediate applause, but this did not seem to faze her. She merely smiled and strolled to the center of the room, where she announced: “Y’all looking like an AA meeting is going on in this little circle. I always think these VIP things are so weird.” With her cute southern accent and turquoise cowboy boots, it was hard not to laugh. Despite the research I had done on her, I was surprised. She is personable, genuine, and vibrant. Chonda is so unique, and, coming from a slightly conservative background myself, I learned that God really will use anyone, anywhere, at any time to reach the hearts of his children.
For some reason when people think of God and religion, they immediately compare it to churchy stuff- you know: mission trips, pastors, and “holier than thou Christians”. The truth is that God will take anyone, anywhere, at anytime. He has a purpose for each of us, and he gifted us with specific talents and characteristics to carry out our own unique purpose. To be “Godly”, or to share God’s love, does not mean that we must all be pastors, preachers, or nuns! No, God wants to reach the world, so he has given us ideas and talents that will reach the world– not just “churchy” people.
Chonda Pierce is a prime example of God’s sense of humor in making himself known. Chonda talks about all of those whisper topics: sex, religion, politics, and gossip. These things would get her kicked out of a more conservative congregation, but Chonda is bold and courageous with her statements. Of course as a comedian, she does add humor to take the edge off, but some are still left slack jawed and bug eyed.
Really, do we think God is oblivious to these topics? Heck no! There is no reason to tiptoe around things that are such a part of our lives. We SHOULD be voicing those whisper topics more loudly, but only with the voice of truth. To be more specific, when we avoid these topics, we misguide individuals looking for answers. They are forced to seek out their own truth, and that isn’t always pretty! God wants us to see the foolishness in all of our “red tape” rules and rituals that do nothing but confuse and confound the general public. Just because we hide our mistakes doesn’t mean that they aren’t there.
We should be embracing those who have wandered too far from the path and leading them forward instead of hiding from realities. We judge far too quickly in deciding what is right and wrong. Who are we to ever decide? A relationship with God is defined by the individual, not by a congregation or denomination.
“I think it’s so funny that some of you haven’t heard a word I’ve said since I talked about sleeping with my husband. I’d like to know who else you’d want me to talk about sleeping with!”- Chonda Pierce
Chonda was gifted with a sense of humor, a huge personality, and a realistic approach to everyday life. She sees it as it is, and says it as it is! That is just one way that God chooses to touch the hearts of his children, and he has many, many more. Some are serious, some are funny, some are strange, and maybe some are scary, but they all work for someone. We cannot be the voice of God, or the voice of judgment. He has engineered each of us for a specific purpose, and if our heart is his, he will see that we fulfill it.
It is sad that Chonda and others with perfectly usable talents are discouraged because they are not “Godly” enough to share Gods messages. We cripple one another with our judgments. We allow one another to become consumed by guilt, anxiety, and fear. All that matters is the individual’s relationship with God. That is something that cannot be defined by an outsider.
God is interested in our hearts, in our love; he will take care of everything else, after a relationship has been made. It does not matter what state their heart is in, how many sins they may have committed, or what kind of life they are leading. God can, and will, use anyone for his purpose at anytime, any day, anywhere. For example, I witnessed a magician, Harris III; perform magic as a way of preaching God’s truth. MAGIC. By speaking the truth about illusion, Harris made sense of faith in a very interesting way. Some would be horrified at the idea that God would use a “magician” to speak his word, but Harris speaks the truth about illusion, lies, and deceit. Is that not righteous enough?
I feel that Chonda is not just a comedian. She does not perform just for laughs. She performs to speak God’s truth in the way that she understands. God designed her to reach the hearts of others through laughter, and that is a beautiful thing. The point of all that she does is to show others that we all have own talents that can be used, no matter what they are. These aren’t just creative talents either.The things that we do well, or are drawn to, are things that God designed us for. We can find purpose and fulfillment in living our lives doing what we do well to speak God’s truth.
