I Met a Jesus Girl Living Like It's Real

Some girls at school are envious of the attention Hanaya is receiving from Hiroto. They gossip about her behind her back and slander her character. Meanwhile, Hiroto's mom is upset that he continues to hang out with Hanaya.

Despite all this, Hiroto defends Hanaya as she endures criticism for talking about Jesus and the God-honoring way she carries herself at school.

In Japan, there's a proverb that goes, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down." Japanese society emphasizes conformity to keep things peaceful and harmonious. Any straying from the norm usually gets pushed back against.

Hiroto sees it. He feels it. And it stirs something deep in him. He admires how brave Hanaya is for being herself. He writes down his thoughts while reflecting on the world, his life, and Hanaya.

You probably could live a calmer life, an easier life, if you didn't know certain things, but once you know it, you can't go back on it.
— Kevin Zadai

I know there's a lot going on, but someone has to stay focused on the Great Commission and on taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Kingdom of Heaven often advances best through small things and in places where very few people are looking. You need to be willing to suffer the scandal of teaching that there is one true God. And He has revealed Himself through one true Savior, and that Savior is Jesus Christ.
— Paul Washer

Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.
— Jesus

I have people all the time just ask me, "Man, I don't know how you have such passion. I'm like, "Well, I don't know how you're so dead."
— Troy Brewer

Hanaya Oki Series:  https://superdifferent.com/hanaya  

Transcript

Girl One 0:00

Are her parents divorced? I've never seen her dad.

Girl Two 0:03

Nah, her mom never got married. I heard she had Hanaya when she was in high school.

Girl One 0:08

No way. That's wild. Like mother, like daughter. She's totally trying to seduce Hiroto . What does her mom do for a living?

Girl Two 0:15

She runs a small bookstore and a flower shop.

Girl One 0:18

Oh, that's how she has all those Bibles and books to give away.

Girl Two 0:21

All that reading has made her a bit eccentric. She's really changed a lot, especially in the past two years.

Girl One 0:27

Right! She acts like she knows everything. She's so narrow-minded. She says there's only one true God and that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.

Girl Three 0:37

Hiroto, I really think you could do better. You should have friends who are way more fun to hang out with. Hanaya is just too conservative. Honestly, she's pretty shy and kind of boring, right?

Hiroto 0:50

Why? Just because she's not into the same stuff you want to talk about. Just because she doesn't laugh at your off-color jokes. Just because she doesn't hike up her skirt like you guys do. What's wrong with being a conservative girl? I think that's super attractive. It makes her mysterious. No, she isn't boring. She isn't too shy to shorten her skirt to look cuter or sexy. Oh, she knows her beauty is not about showing more of her legs.

Hiroto's mom 1:15

Are you still hanging out with that Jesus girl? Stop before It's too late Hiroto. She will ruin your life.

Hiroto 1:20

It's already too late. Whether she's in my life or not, I'm following Jesus. But seriously, mom, you and dad went after the wrong person. She didn't even tell me about the complaint you made against her with Ms . Megumi. That alone should speak volumes of what kind of girl she is. If you knew what some of my other friends are doing, you would realize that I'm much better off with Hanaya. Do you really want me to be all alone like I always have been? I finally know where I belong now. A million wandering eyes. A myriad of voices. In the theater of absurdity. Watching yet another worthless spectacle. Piling up words without understanding. The cycle of gossip, debates and scandals. The constant buzz. The nonstop stimulation. Oh, it just never ends. We hide our sins. We post our good works. I've run into the fake. I've met the pretenders. Bland, colorless, blending into the shadows. Following Him from a distance. Living, a quiet, passive existence. Getting old, growing, tired. My world was black and white. Lived with a restless heart. Dripping with anxiety. Filled up with resentment. I was meandering, coasting, drifting. With a false concept of life. No care, no earnestness, no depth. In search of the why, and the unknown. I thought it would be a long, long while out there in the wild. Out of the blue. Here she comes. The odd one. A little weird, they said. A lone ranger. A Jesus girl. Living like it's real . Leading life with less fear. Planning her run with Jesus. Hardwired for eternity. Radical, risk taking. Born to make Him famous. A go-anywhere -for-Jesus kinda girl. But the pushback . The rage of unbelief all around. Count it as nothing, she says. It's wasted energy to worry. I can survive anything when He is around. Her courage makes me uneasy. That holy optimism. Neutral gear was never her option. Stand for something or fall for anything. Get run over or set the pace. Whoever watches the wind will not plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. Understand the times. Know the reasons. Defy the lies. The cautious never live at all. Step up to the plate. Take a swing. Swing it like you mean it. No, this isn't a sloppy grace. Jesus brought division . He thinned the crowd. Silence isn't kindness. Take the risk. Make eternity oriented choices. Love enough to speak the hard truth. Life ain't conflict free . Embrace the growing pains. Lean on his grace. Never give in. Never give up. The caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Let's run, she says. Don't stroll. Don't wander about aimlessly. Run as in a race. See the finish line. Run because Jesus is worth it all. Do His will today. Tomorrow, may never come. Gaining His praise is far more valuable than that of a fading world. Culture ebbs and flows. People come and go, she says. But He remains. The one foundation. The steady presence. Who was, who is and who is to come. He's altogether lovely. Than all the world more worthy. Though the wrong is often strong. This is His world. He's the ruler yet, over seasons, stars and the tidal waves of evil. From generation to generation, He reigns. He's still in charge. There's no one like Him. He talks to me everywhere I go, she says. Should my heart be ever sad? Why were you and I born? Farewell, empty idols. My heart is won by Jesus. No love deeper than His. No sacrifice greater than His. Why was I born, if not to love Him deeply and make Him known. They say, talk is cheap. You have to see it for yourself. Oh, I've seen enough. A thousand uncertainties in the world today. But no, not this one. The good old book says, "Charm is deceitful, beauty is fleeting. But a girl who fears the Lord is to be praised." I met a girl just like that. I've seen beauty not flaunted. True beauty behind a face. Real and enduring. No, she ain't playing a short game. She's seeing too far ahead. Ten million years into eternity. And when all is said and done. As others fight to be seen, to be heard. She lives to be forgotten. To be remembered by Him is more than enough. No, she ain't a fake. She isn't popular. Her delight may leave you bored. Because her days tell a story. And it's of Him only. I met a Jesus girl. Spreading a deep aroma of Jesus in a tragically superficial world.