Cheri Up On Her Soapbox

There may not be any pictures, but please continue to read and tell me what you think...

Here's an excerpt from the book I'm reading. I must preface it with this: I LOVED the first part of this book, then couldn't stand it, and now it's getting decent again. All in all, it has some very new and interesting thoughts. The book is titled, "The Irresistible Revolution" and the author is Shane Claiborne.

I had a college professor who said, "All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don't tiptoe." In my youth-group days, I had seen all too many wild would-be Jesus radicals fall by the wayside because they had never been trusted with the adventure or revolutionary living. When I was a youth leader, one of the high school kids who had "given his life to Jesus" got busted only a few weeks later for having acid in school. I remember asking in disappointment, "What happened, bro? What went wrong?" He just shrugged his shoulders and said, "I got bored." Bored? God forgive us for all those we have lost because we made the gospel boring. I am convinced that if we lose kids to the culture of drugs and materialism, of violence and war, it's because we don't dare them, not because we don't entertain them. It's because we make the gospel too easy, not because we make it too difficult. Kids want to do something heroic with their lives, which is why they play video games and join the army. But what are they to do with a church that teaches them to tip toe through life so they can arrive safely at death?

I've been talking with several of you (Gabe-mine, Allie, Andrea) about different parts of what Shane is saying here. (Although I just read this today.) I'd like to leave my comments at "Amen!", but for those of you who know me well, know that I can't stop at that.

Thought #1: Allie told me about a spunky old lady who once said, "Don't go through life just being a good Christian girl." (Although there are quotes, I'm paraphrasing.) I want to be that spunky old lady! Seriously, if all I can say at the end of my life is that I didn't do anything wrong, I will consider my time here on earth a waste! Life should not be about what you DON'T do, but rather about what you DO do. (Ok Gabe's 5th grade humor is kicking in.)

Thought #2: People are afraid of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 tells us that Jesus died to release people from the bondage of the fear of death (physical death). If you think that we do not fear death, think of all the things that we do to inhibit it! (i.e. medicine) So you'd think we would make the most of the time we have here, but instead we spend our lives tiptoeing around trying to make sure that nothing happens. Look, if Jesus doesn't come back before we die, then we are going to DIE! Let's make something happen!

Thought #3: I agree with Shane that the effects of the gospel that is believed in these days is boring. I remember very soon after becoming a Christian telling Gabe that I was sad because I had to give up so many different parts of my life. I didn't want to let go of those things. Gabe told me it was worth it. I explained to him that those things were what made me who I was. I didn't want to give up the fun that was in my life. Gabe told me that my life would be even better when I got rid of those things. Gabe was right. It wasn't a matter of just getting rid of the old, but also taking on the new. (2 Cor 5:7 became one of my favorite verses.) Jesus does not want us to have the same life as any other Christian. He doesn't want us to fit into the cookie cutter that so many churches today preach about. He came to give us LIFE, and not just existence, but abundant LIFE! He wants us to LIVE... on earth and in heaven. The grand adventure does not start when we are standing before Him in heaven. It begins NOW!

Final Thought: PLEASE (for your own sake as well as for mine) get out into the world and DO something!