Friday, November 20, 2009

Does the way I live life warrant an explanation?

I heard a sermon yesterday by Francis Chan in which he quoted this statement, "Christians today ought to live a life that demands an explanation." Amen! Our lives should different than the lives of the people we see everyday. So, does your life look different? Does my life look different?

I think that for far too long, our lives have been to similar to the lives of the people we encounter everyday, and like the old frog in the warm pot of water story, we are slowly getting boiled by the trappings of our society. We must learn to live in the tension of being in this world, but not of it. We are aliens, pilgrims, outsiders in this world, but so many of us forget this. We so badly want to fit it and not be seen as outsiders, but Jesus was the ultimate outsider. He lived such a radically different life, yet, he could relate and connect with everyone, except for the religious people! So, what are the implications for me? I need to live a life that is radically different, that people would see my life, the life of my family and wonder, why are they different? What makes them tick? Ultimately, our lives should display the fruit of the Spirit and this will either have one of two effects on people, one of attraction to Christ because they want what I have, or repulsion, because they are running away from God and trying to stick to their sin, their functional god or idol.

I hope and pray that God would use me and my family to help bring more and more people into his saving grace, into his kingdom. Jesus do your thing through me and help me get out of the way.

2 comments:

  1. hey kevin!
    I've been thinking a lot about this lately too. And I believe I'm living life pretty different, and I'm noticing more people are challenged the more Jeremy and I seperate ourselves culturally. But I struggle with how different is too different sometimes. Especially when I compare myself to a lot of Christians I know and respect. And I wonder if that's a normal thought?

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  2. Sorry, I never responded to your thought, I haven't checked this blog in months.

    I think that if we are consciously trying to be different from the culture we live in we will always feel "too different." This will be a constant tension that we will have to wrestle with. We are called a peculiar people for a reason. There are so many things in our culture that can and need to be redeemed, so we must ask ourselves constantly if whatever it is that we are wrestling with from our culture if it is truly a command in scripture, a conviction or a preference.

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