Marriage. Single life. Business. Relationships. Success. Vacations. Roadtrips. Grocery Runs. Dinners out. Hobbies. Home Decor. Camping…
You ever notice how pretty much everything in life can be good, bad — really good, really bad, or somewhere in between?! For some of us, camping brought up incredible memories of a life slowed to a halt, the peace of no traffic, crisp night air and starry nights, the absence of cell phone service, the crackling of a campfire and laughter about the burnt baked beans that will never, ever scrape off the bottom of the fire scorched pot. For others, a chill of ick shivered up your spine and you said something like, “Yeah I love camping – in a cabin, in the woods with a bed, AC, running water, a hot tub and can it be beachfront?!”
We’re all incredibly…
…different. We value things, experiences, people and life differently; “One man’s trash is another’s treasure”, and so on. It’s energizing when to meet someone who has a passion for something — even when if we don’t share the same passion. You know the type — they have a twinkle in their eye, a pep in their step, an energy in their voice . Or simply a pleasure and contentment in their eyes when talking about spending time doing something they love with anyone or doing anything with someone they love. It’s enviable. A focus on what is good.
And then, there’s the rest of us — 10% into this, 24% into that; for sure 50.1% into work (because don’t get fired!), 20% into sleeping, 15% into eating and well… we’re already way over 100%, fooling ourselves but don’t want to admit it. I know guys with motorcycle projects on hold, families that haven’t taken vacations in years, marriages in survival mode, businesses that scream for a little more attention, and families with sub 1% focus. We’re in a culture of more — only the more isn’t more. The more is less which is more or less killing us or at the very least exhausting us from the inside out. We’re tired, overextended, and it isn’t easy to find rest because everyone around us seems to be trying to win at the same game. A game that if won, has no clear winner. We’ve been wired to accumulate the tangible at the cost of the intangible.
This leads to the point; how the heck are we supposed to fit Christianity in? I mean let’s be real, it’s a valid question whether we ignore it or not. We don’t dare
answer that one honestly — gasp — “what will people think if I honestly say I have not thought about God or Jesus or being a Christian for 6 days straight? I haven’t had time!” Oh, the horror. What will people say? And yet, that is most likely most of our stories. In a way the world has done that to us, and in a way the world can’t actually do anything to us, we let it. But before you do, there’s no use spending time on whose fault it is – we’re better off tapping into that energy and using it to create a better future. A future God has for you, for us.
Walk with me on this. Close your eyes… wait, that won’t work… OK imagine you close your eyes and with your eyes imaginarily closed see yourself walking briskly down a busy downtown street. Engulfed by hustle and bustle, everyone has their destinations in mind, and you have yours. Your plate is full with no time for a hiccup or interruption. Just then you see someone you sort of know crossing the street a half block up; you can tell they haven’t yet seen you. What do you do? Take a hard right into the next shop or wave the person down and invite the distraction? We’re all different — which do you value more? Getting all of the things done that you’ve loaded your plate up with or inviting the opportunity of a relational exchange whether you have time or not? Now — same exercise but it’s someone you know well. Now again, and it’s someone you are absolutely in love with head over heels. Are the answers different or the same? They’re different. Your impulses are at play, your wiring is taking over, your value system is exposed. Not that you’d THINK you’d do, but what you’d ACTUALLY do.
Now — imagine it’s Jesus. Do you turn into the next coffee shop or run to greet Him? Is it Him you were rushing to meet or is it a total surprise that He’s there? Sit in this a minute — close your eyes and make it real. Take in some deep breaths, clear your head, and walk that through. What would He say? What would you feel and do and say?
Last week we talked about 3 main points when Saul unexpectedly ran into Jesus.
- He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” One of the most important questions about our lives is who we think God is. So, when you imagined that moment on the street — “who” was Jesus in that moment? Someone to avoid? Someone to run to? Someone to question? Someone you felt safe with or ashamed with?
- One of Jesus’ comments to Saul was that he “kicks against the goads” as in Jesus has been poking and prodding and trying to get his attention but Saul hasn’t listened, he’s actually kicked against Jesus’ knocking. If Jesus were to walk up on that busy street and say, “Hey you! I’ve been texting you like crazy, why have you been ghosting me?” what would you say?
- Saul asked, “What shall I do?” The natural progression was an awakening (SNAP, Jesus! You. Are. Real!) followed by Jesus asking questions (why are you persecuting me, why do you bother ignoring me getting your attention) and then finally Saul surrendering his authority, identity and power asking what his orders were from his new king. FULL surrender.
Our christianity, like anything in life, has the potential to be boring. Lifeless. Mundane. A bad camping trip. Or, it can be alive, moving, growing, adventurous and life-giving. The great philosopher (ehem) Clint Eastwood said, “What you put into life you get out of it”. That can be said about everything, including our Christianity. If it’s just 1.2% (2 hours on a Sunday) it’s not going to impress or change you much. It may excite you for a moment, fill a small need of community, or make you feel as if you’re living a Christina life, but that’s about it. So what’s the “right” %? 10, 20, 50%??!! It’s a trick question and it takes faith to see it unfold but the correct is 100%. 100% because it isn’t an event or a time slot or a momentary focus – it’s who you are and it’s how you value a relationship with God. Much like I am 100% married even if I’m at work 27% of my life. How I live my life SHOULD be as if I’m 100% married. Just as how I live my life should should reflect me being 100% Christian. (**not 100% perfect, but 100% alive in the fact that I am a chosen child of God, happy with that title, living in His grace, set free from guilt and shame, secure in a Father that loves and cares for me no matter what this world throws my way)
Hoping you realize how much Jesus loves you nonstop — 100% of the time — and that you wake up to the invitation and your ability to love Him back and follow him 100% of the time as well. You know why? Because we and the world need a better story – and that story is Jesus.
Let’s go tell it –
Jared