the risk

Finished up two chapters of Soul Graffiti and already its giving me tired head with the topics he dances with. The second chapter paints a story of a middle aged mainline pastor that one day had a 2nd rebirth. He began to ask himself questions, "What vaules did I choose to live in a safe and affluent community? And how did I not see that teaching of Jesus has something to say about our responsibility to the oppressed?" His questions caused him to confess, " ...disregarding Jesus as a teacher, I have been quilty of prepetuating unbridled nationalism and racial and economic injustice." While reading his interdialgoue, casued me to stop and think and wrestle with my own desires. I was reminded that I must fight the darkness in my own journey toward security and prosperity. I was reminded that faith in Christ, is much more than a set of codes and daily practices. More than Sunday Serivce. I must engage in a deep devotion to the cause of our God and King. Where can I seek to be healing to others? Where can I seek to clothe the naked? Where can I give drink to the thirsty? If Christ is truly my God and King, then these things can not merely be ideas or even a worldview, but they must began to take shape in dramatic ways.


What if we take the messages of Christ in a real way? How would these well known statements treat us with if instead of reading them, they read us?

"Sell your possessions and give to the poor." Luke 12:33

Just the past few weeks, I have heard a deep calling of my soul to recall where my money goes and how/what I spend it. Followed closely behind this thought, is the fact that I must stop just thinking about doing all these 'radical' moves and actually flesh my beliefs out in the world around me. So now I am left with my unrest. So what do I do, should I sell my book shelf, Futon, and desk and give it to the man on 380 I see everyday? I mean I am going to sell that stuff, but I was going to pay for some other trinquet that recently caught my eye. All I know, is that I am thinking about my life in future terms--- BUT the reality is that my life is going by quickly.

"Love your enemies and do good to them." (luke 6:35)

Ok, swallow my pride and severe those that steal from me--- this is ridulous.

Rather than knowing these profound facts and statements we slow down and allow the reality of them to overwhealm us.
"It may actually be more healthy to be disturbed, confused, or searching than confident, certian, and secure." Mark Scanndrette