Playing It Safe!

The way I write is very chaotic...I usually have about six or seven stories going at once...as inspiration strikes me, I finish them up. I recently found a list of "crazy" people in the Bible. It was the perfect thing I needed for this story!

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." -Matthew 17:20

A recent conversation with a mentor went like this:

Me: "It's amazing to me how many awesome opportunities God puts in front of us!"

Mentor: "Just be careful...the devil can disquise traps as opportunities."

Me (after several moments thought): "I guess I'd rather take my chances with a trap of the devils than miss out on an opportunity from God."

There are two types of Christians that I have come to know. The first type are the ultra conservative...not politically speaking...these are the ones that play everything very close to the vest and adopt the philosophy of: "If I never cross the road, I'll never get hit by a truck!".

The second type are the risk-taking Christians. These are the ones that put their reputations on the line by balancing a life between religion and secularism. These people adopt the philosophy of: "Screw the truck...if I can help one person, it's worth getting hit!"

Of course I see myself as falling into the second group. I am out there and even though many friends might think I talk about God too much...I feel like I don't do it enough! Let's face it...I am not normal in any other way, why should I be a normal (Sunday Only) Christian!!??

I DON"T WANT TO BE NORMAL!! I want to change lives in a very abnormal way!!

I understand the safe way of thinking. I even see a need for that approach. There is a need to reinforce our fellow Christians and witness through the way we live. But...I also believe that there is a desperate need for more of the risk-takers. People who will take the love of Jesus to the masses, no matter the color of their skin, sexual orientation, bad habits, criminal history, etc.

Both sides of the coin want to reach these people, but the big difference is that the conservative Christians are waiting for those people to approach them...The risk-takers are leaping into the fire...walking into the slums...sitting down in the bars...hugging necks at rallys...and passing out Bibles in the prisons. Not just visiting once a month, but sitting down with people and loving them irregardless of circumstance. Is that crazy??

The more I read and study the Bible, the more I am beginning to understand that what we define as "Crazy" are things that are simplistic to God. For instance:

People thought Noah was crazy when he built the ark.
People thought Abraham was crazy when climbed a mountain to sacrifice his son.
People thought David was crazy when he walked out to meet Goliath.
People thought Elijah was crazy when he faced the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel.
People thought Paul was crazy for planting churches and taking the Gospel to the Gentiles!!!

I truly think it is time that we, as Christians, stop performing "business as usual" and start thinking CRAZY!!

What crazy ideas do you have??

Thanks for reading!