Why You Shouldn't Make Fun of Zealous Converts

Over the past couple of years I have read a great deal of complaining, criticism, and even flat out mockery directed at so called "crazy" converts. While there is occasionally a good reason for the complaining (disrupting services, causing scandal, etc.), I think a lot of it is misguided, and perhaps even driven by laziness and/or jealousy. Now I groan internally as much as the next guy when our newest Chrismated Brother or Sister enters the temple with prayer rope in hand, doing prostrations in front of every icon and dressed like an extra from "Rasputin: the Mad Monk." But the next time you feel the urge to groan, try and remember that you are not the one to judge that person. He may be directed by aimless enthusiasm or pride, or he may be a newly born pious member of the Body of Christ who dresses modestly, loves the services of the Church, and practices the Jesus prayer. If his enthusiasm is misguided, that is between him and his spiritual father.

Now think of how you entered the temple. You may well be chatting to your friends at the back, having walked through the door in jeans and a t-shirt getting ready to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord without preparation because everyone else at the service is. Which one is really in the wrong here? Becoming comfortable in Orthodoxy is one thing, and it is required that we all get over the initial honeymoon period before real progress can be made. But we should never get so comfortable that we take our Orthodoxy and what it offers us (everything!) for granted. To make it even worse, those who do take Orthodoxy for granted then proceed to criticize and mock the enthusiastic convert to the point that he acts just as cold and without zeal as they do, and might even feel good about it. In some cases, these "naive" and "annoying" converts have been driven out of the Church. I say shame on those responsible.

We all need to try and nurture a little bit of "crazy convert" within our selves, not to put on a show for others but get us closer to God. Let us choose the middle path, and as we grow in the Church, the zeal we maintain will help us serve God and each other more and more. Lastly, remember the craziest convert of all, Abraham! (He had the beard, the clothes, everything!)