Sunday, July 30, 2006
Comfortable Christians
I remember when we were preparing to leave our suburban community in Southwestern Connecticut to pursue mission in Cambodia with our 2 1/2 year old son Matt, and our four month old daughter, Alana. Some friends and church members let us know that they didn't think it was very responsible to take such small children to a developing country that was at war, rife with diseases, and so far away. In my ignorance, I told them that it was safer in the center of God's will for us in Cambodia, than back in suburbia. How wrong I was. Having been around the block now, and after 12 years on the field, I would say now that the most riskiest, or dangerous place to be is in the center of God’s Will.
Just look at Hebrews Eleven’s list of Heroes of the Faith of the Old Testament. All of them were extreme risk takers. Most of them suffered, many wandered without a permanent home, and some were aliens in strange lands. Most of them died horrific deaths, and they were in the center of God’s will.
Then along came Jesus who took the risk of becoming human, and embraced the yoke of suffering and death. He said follow me, and follow my example. Twelve men did follow, and weren’t very responsible either. They risked much and lost their lives, suffered beatings, humiliation, jail, and ship-wrecks, all following the example of their leader. The Bible calls them ‘sent ones’ who were in the center of God’s will. Ouch!
Then there were the Reformers who risked their lives and reputation to bring Christians back to a more scripture-centered faith. Then the missionary movement with the likes of Hudson Taylor, William Carey, and David Brainerd, who put their lives on the line to bring the gospel to places far away from their families and homeland. They were Pilgrims and strangers in the world. Today there are missionaries abroad, and missional churches at home that continue to risk their lives and sacrifice their comfort, and financial security for the Kingdom. They are risking a lot, and they might seem quite foolish in the eyes of the world, and I would imagine that they, too, are in the center of God’s will.
As a missionary, I am beginning to see that God did not sacrifice his only son for us so that we would become respectable citizens who are to be guaranteed safety, comfort, and a happy life. We tend to count such things as a sign of being in the center of God’s will. But could we be wrong? Could it be that the Bible highlights those who have been willing to suffer and take large risks for God because they were in the center of God’s will? You decide.
Just look at Hebrews Eleven’s list of Heroes of the Faith of the Old Testament. All of them were extreme risk takers. Most of them suffered, many wandered without a permanent home, and some were aliens in strange lands. Most of them died horrific deaths, and they were in the center of God’s will.
Then along came Jesus who took the risk of becoming human, and embraced the yoke of suffering and death. He said follow me, and follow my example. Twelve men did follow, and weren’t very responsible either. They risked much and lost their lives, suffered beatings, humiliation, jail, and ship-wrecks, all following the example of their leader. The Bible calls them ‘sent ones’ who were in the center of God’s will. Ouch!
Then there were the Reformers who risked their lives and reputation to bring Christians back to a more scripture-centered faith. Then the missionary movement with the likes of Hudson Taylor, William Carey, and David Brainerd, who put their lives on the line to bring the gospel to places far away from their families and homeland. They were Pilgrims and strangers in the world. Today there are missionaries abroad, and missional churches at home that continue to risk their lives and sacrifice their comfort, and financial security for the Kingdom. They are risking a lot, and they might seem quite foolish in the eyes of the world, and I would imagine that they, too, are in the center of God’s will.
As a missionary, I am beginning to see that God did not sacrifice his only son for us so that we would become respectable citizens who are to be guaranteed safety, comfort, and a happy life. We tend to count such things as a sign of being in the center of God’s will. But could we be wrong? Could it be that the Bible highlights those who have been willing to suffer and take large risks for God because they were in the center of God’s will? You decide.
