There is a risk that we could take (or is there?) ... A risk that could place us even more strategically among the fragility of mankind ... A risk, as it would be,to be totally engaged in the mysterious conquest for the Kingdom.
The risk would not be to flood a digital social media site with pictures of creation (which is a pretty cool idea), but to reveal the Creator at every encounter of life. The goal of the risk: To live loudly, compassionately and appropriately always revealing what He truly means to us in the NOW of our lives, while bringing Christ into every moment, every human interaction, every venture, every proposal, every acquisition and every expenditure of life. The Premise of the Risk: Truly unveil the Hope of Glory that dwells within us unashamedly amidst a potentially antagonistic reception.
The Solitary Life, Sacrificial Death, Victorious Resurrection and Soon Return of Jesus Christ has never been a "politically correct" subject among the ruling class of nations, nor an openly received topic in the market place of daily blue collar interaction. Why? In these anger and apathy festering "last days", open wickedness is encouraged by the spirit of Anti-Christ and cruelty is rewarded by God haters. Even those in legal counseling positions advise public leaders to not pray before meetings, nor embrace their faith openly in business settings, nor impress their faith upon subordinates for fear of unnecessary lawsuits .
At ground zero for faith interaction, We have been terrified by some unseen threat behind the age-old smug statement "Two things we never discuss - religion and politics!" These two engaging entry ways to philosophical battle grounds have been the source of engaging change for centuries. To avoid the discussion of either is to become a mute drone or to commit intellectual suicide.
Mark 8:36,37 - "For what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Our value system, since the fall of man, hesitates to answer these two rhetorical questions with the obvious "NOTHING!", because the grip of our flesh on "things" ,that briefly satisfy, is almost like the rigor mortis grip of the dead. It can be broken but many times not without something else breaking. There is a flip side to this verse - "For what shall it profit a man if he lose the whole world and gain his own soul; or what shall a man gain in exchange for the world? -- the rhetorical answer EVERYTHING.
Get this vision in front of your life and reckon the eternal value that Jesus has placed on your life: Isaiah 52:10, 14 - "The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.... And as many were astonished at Thee, His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men." Yes the sacrifice of Jesus for us was an eternally catastrophic "visage marring" event that changed the course of the relationship between God and men ... The horror of that moment on the Cross can rescue a receptive soul from the horror of the continual eternal marring of Hell.
Would God do this for me?
YES...
so is there really a risk to totally committing our daily lives to the fullness of His LOVE?
NO.
So live!
HLFA,
Jeff