On Being a Radical

Would you describe yourself as a radical? If your answer is a confident "yes," then I believe that you are on the right track of following Jesus. If your answer is "no," then I wonder why not? What is keeping you from being a radical, as Jesus was?

Does your life look different than the values of this world? Ask yourself that question. No, I mean stop everything you are doing and ask yourself that question. Do a nice, honest assessment of your lifestyle and values. That question should haunt all of us. Where do you live? How do you spend your time? How do you spend money? Where is your treasure stored, because there your heart will be?

Henri Nouwen wrote, "We will never come to know our true vocation in life unless we are willing to grapple with the radical claim the gospel places on us. During the past twenty centuries many Christians have heard this radical call and have responded in true obedience..." Sadly, though, many Christians, especially in modern America, have not responded in obedience to that radical call. We've settled for comfort. We've settled for accumulating as much wealth as we can. We've settled for bigger houses, and nicer cars, and more stuff. We've settled for the latest technological gadgets. We've settled for moving more money into our retirement accounts. We've placed America's economy over God's economy. Seriously, crack open a Bible and see what I'm talking about. Our lifestyles should be different than the world's. Radically different, because Jesus calls us all to be radicals. So... are you a radical?