Step Up

"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light." --LUKE 16

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other." --LUKE 16

"Indeed if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that the Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us. Like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased." --C.S. LEWIS

"You're all a bunch of F*&^ing A%&*oles. 'You know why? 'Cause you don't have the guts to be who you want to be." --Tony Montana [Scarface]

I sat @ our dining room table with a friend on Saturday night and into Sunday morning talking about how "I'm not where I want to be." As I talk to my Christian brothers and sisters, and hear about their walks with the Lord, and we talk about others who are walking the same walk, it always seems as though the walk has a hitch in it. It seems like my walk, as well as that of many others seems weak--with occasional bursts of strength. Saturday night we talked for hours, saying things like: "I know where I want to be, I'm just not there." or "I know I should be closer to the Lord..." or "I remember when I was closer..." The list goes on and on along those lines, but the gist of it seems to be that we aren't where we want to be, and so many Christians are in the same boat. And it became apparent as we talked, that we KNOW what we need to do to get where we want to be. And adversely, we know what we need to STOP doing. But we don't take action in doing the things that we know would bring us to the joy of our Father. And we sit precariously in the things that keep us from it.

It seems so simple: I know that there are things that bring me closer to a God that loves me beyond my comprehension. I know that walking with Him daily is what I was created to do. It makes life more enjoyable, and helps me love. The list is of immeasurable blessings that can be mine is enormous. These things are promised to me--and I have seen them--I know this to be TRUE. YET, I don't do these things. Instead, I settle for things that are mediocre and temporary at best. I do mediocre, temporary things knowing they are worldly, ridiculous things that are not even close to the character of Christ. But you know, I've been doing these things or not doing other things for so long that it seems normal. And coincidentally, during all this time where mediocrity seems normal is where I'm not where I want to be.

And we want to say, "Well, it's not that easy." But with any sacrifice, the struggle seems to be directly proportionate to the devotion to, or the urgency of--the ends. Like when someone who smokes tries to give up cigarettes 8 different times, to no avail, but then his best friend dies of lung cancer, and he quits the next day and never smokes again. The sacrifice is, all of the sudden, worth the ends.

So as Christians, we are "followers of Christ." We say that we believe that Jesus died for us because He loves us infinitely more than all the loves we've ever known. We say we believe that we were created by God, Himself, for the sole purpose of loving and worshipping Him--because He embodies Love, Righteousness, Holiness, and Perfection. We say we believe these things, but apparently we don't believe them enough that our lives would be changed--enough to pursue holiness or a life even close to that which Christ modeled.

So, we know where we are, and where we want to be. We know the steps to get there. We know it won't be easy or effortless, but that the ends are more-than worth the effort. And we genuinely WANT to love the Lord with all our hearts, minds, and bodies--and have that love be reflected in all that we do. Why, then, do most of my friends & family, and most of their friends & family seem to relate to all this? Why are we constantly torn?

At about 3:30AM last Sunday, my friend and I came up with the same answer almost simultaneously:

Sometimes I'm a little pansy.

And we laughed because we thought of the same thing at the same time, and it was ridiculous, but then--REALLY. How could all these conditions exist, and leave us still whining, making excuses, and wondering, "Why?" The answer: Because I'm not fighting for it. I'm not going after it even as hard as I pursue things that matter much less. This is the most important thing in my life, and I approach it weakly--as if there is anything else that even comes close to the love of Christ and Life in Him.

People of the world give their whole selves to making money, playing sports, learning a profession, the stock market, etc. They go after them with everything they've got and fight to achieve and end--because that is most important to them. And it takes drive, courage, and persistence, to achieve those ends. They show dedication to what is important to them. Why, then, should they pay mind to Christians who don't fight for what is important in their lives?

We can be more. We were created to enjoy. We were created TO BE the image of God. We need to do what we know we can. We need to live what we say we believe. And I need to stop being a little pansy.