The Call to a Radical Life

Over the past couple of days, my daily devotions have been over the radical life that Jesus Christ has called His followers to live.  I remember hearing that word "radical" all the time growing up in the 80's.  Today, there seems to be a negative connotation to the word "radical".  When you hear the word "radical", what do you think about?  Terrorists?  People out of their minds?  People who have lost touch with reality?

I do not think that Jesus has called His followers to be terrorists in any sense.  As I read the words of Jesus, I do believe that He is calling His followers to live a life that is so different from the "norm" that they stick out like a sore thumb.  Hear some of the words of Jesus Himself...

• "I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" (Matthew 5:44 NLT)

• "If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?  Even pagans do that." (Matthew 5:47 NLT)


• "Pray for the happiness of those who curse you.  Pray for those who hurt you.  If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other cheek.  If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also."  (Luke 6:28-29 NLT)


• "if you do good only to those who do good to you, is that so wonderful?  Even sinners do that much!  And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, what good is that?  Even sinners will lend to their own kind for a full return."  (Luke 6:33-34 NLT)


• "Sell what you have and give to those in need.  This will store up treasure for you in heaven!" (Luke 12:33 NLT)


• "Whoever is least among you is the greatest." (Luke 9:48 NLT)


• "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life."  (Mark 8:35 NLT)

These are just a few of the "radical" commands that Jesus said that His followers must live by.  I'll be the first to say that there are still areas in my life that need a lot of work.  But there is no denying that the children of God are called to be a "peculiar people" (Deuteronomy 14:2; 1 Peter 2:9 KJV).  The lifestyle of the believer and follower of Jesus Christ should go so much against the grain of this world's culture.  One fact that I've realized is that the world culture is not moving closer to God.  If I am not standing out as different in this culture, then I am not being what God has "recreated" me to be (2 Corinthians 5:17).

What areas of your life stand out as different from the world around you?  Are you seen as a "peculiar" person in this generation?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

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The Cancer of Conformity

I don't mean to take light the tragedy of cancer or make light of it.  Sadly, my family has had many experiences with this monster called cancer.  That is why I choose to compare conformity to cancer.  I was working on a lesson for our student ministry.  We knew that we were going to talk about the danger of conformity and using the obvious verse of Romans 12:2.  But it was the day before I was to speak to our students that God showed me something that I had never paid attention to before.

Conformity has been a weapon that Satan has used to try to rob God of His glory since at least the Garden of Eden.  It was in the Garden of Eden that Satan tempted humans with being "like" God.  Just blend in with the surroundings.  Israel was to be a different nation from all others upon the earth.  They were constantly tempted into being just like everyone else.  The New Testament church is also called to be "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" (1 Peter 2:9).  I don't use the King James Version much due to the difference in language from modern English, but it's translation of this verse is awesome.  Instead of saying "a people belonging to God" it says "a peculiar people."

We were created not to conform to the things around us, but to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and display the glory of God.  God created humans in a completely different way from everything in creation.  He used His hands and breath to bring us to life when only words worked with everything else.  From the beginning, we were to be different.  We are confronted from all sides with temptations to just blend in with the surroundings.  Let's not fade into the background of our sinful surroundings, but rather let us be a "city on a hill" and let the light of Christ shine through us like never before.

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