God knows I am a thrifty kinda gal, so whatever book He wants to shake my entire world with, will ultimately be on the $5.00 table at Family Christian Bookstore on the particular day that I happen to be browsing. I kid you not, every single book I have glanced at and decided to give a shot (cause it's only $5.00, so if it sucks... oh well, right?) has completely rocked my soul. The latest book that I have been reading is called Radical by David Platt. Now this book calls you out and convicts you big time as a Christian... so if you are looking for a cozy, squishy, comfortable existence where you don't actually have to do anything for the Lord or His kingdom, then don't read this. Better yet- READ IT! Cause clearly your heart is in the wrong place.
This crazy book asks some tough questions. The biggest one for me lately was this, "are you a receiver or a reproducer?" Here is the passage from the book that definitely stepped on my toes....
"Imagine being Sudan. You walk into a thatched hut with a small group of Sudanese church leaders, and you sit down to teach them God's Word. As soon as you start, you lose eye contact with all of them. No one is looking at you, and you hardly see their eyes the rest of the time. The reason is because they are writing down every word you say. They come up to you afterward and say, "Teacher, we are going to take everything we have learned from God's Word, translate it into our languages, and teach it in our tribes." They are not listening to receive, but to reproduce.
Now journey with me to a contemporary worship service in the United States. Some people have their Bibles open, while others don't have a Bible with them. A few people are taking notes, but for the most part they are passively sitting there in the audience. While some are probably disengaged, others are intently focused on what the preacher is saying, listening to God's Word to hear how it applies to their lives. But the reality of it is that few are listening to reproduce."
Heavy, right? I know I felt like a little kids getting caught red handed stealing from a candy store when I first read this. I have been going to church to see how it can change MY life. There have been a few Sundays when I left unfulfilled because it just didn't apply to ME and MY situation... Seriously. Sick huh? It's like not helping a sick child when you have the cure in your hand... because you just wouldn't get any personal benefit. The way I explained to Luciana the other day is this. Imagine you have a beautiful gift in your hands. It is amazing and the best thing anyone could ever receive. You can go to church every Sunday and get this gift refilled over and over and over. Every week. But you don't share it with anyone. Others don't even cross your mind when you are being refilled, because all you can focus on it how great this gift is going to feel in your own hands.
Well I am done being a receiver. I have something that has changed me from the inside out. It has changed the way I view the world and all those in it. It has given me new life and new breath. It has made my world more beautiful than I ever thought possible and has filled me in ways beyond what I have always yearned for. It has given me that thing that was always missing to fill what seemed like an unfillable hole. I am done hoarding this thing all to myself. I am done keeping my fists clenched tightly around it. I am done watching those around me perish while I thrive. I love you guys, heck I love people in general. It's about time I show it.
But, I am not a missionary. I am not in the Sudan. I am not even in Mexico.... I am a wife and mother of 5 in Ludowici, Georgia. (Where even is that, right? I think it might actually be on a map...?) What does this radical idea look like in MY life? How can I contribute? How can I share this beautiful gift from here? Well, here it is folks, my blog! I know there aren't thousands of people that read this thing, but there are a few of you, and if I can touch just one soul with His Word, then it's worth every stroke on this keyboard. I am planning on blogging every week about what my dear friend and pastor teaches on the previous Sunday. I have a fabulous church that I cant wait to go to every week and the Word is always a good one. So, I want to share with you what I learn in my own layman terms. (Bear with me, eh? I am not always as eloquent as most of these amazing bloggers.) So my next post will be a good one. I promise. Stay tuned, folks, and it is my hope that you will not just be receivers, but reproducers. That you will share with your friends and family what you learn here or at your local church as well. It's gonna be big, it's gonna be wild, it's gonna be full of HIM!!!
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