Ordinary Radicals

You may have noticed that I refer to my wife and I on the banner of this blog as “ordinary radicals.” Honestly, that bit is somewhat embarrassing to me. I should make it clear that “radical” is not something we consider ourselves, but rather a label placed on us by others when they found out we were quitting our jobs and moving to the other side of the world. In fact, we are painfully aware that there is nothing exceptional about us. We are not uniquely qualified or especially gifted – if anything, we are completely ordinary. But then I guess it isn’t the person that’s important or special; it’s ones response to God that makes all the difference.

I guess what we did only seems radical because it flips on its head what society tells us is normal. You’re simply not supposed to give up comfort and safety. Getting rid of your home and your stuff seems crazy. Leaving family and friends is just stupid. Believe me, I still have plenty of days when it looks like that to me too.  But if you look at things through heaven’s eyes rather than the world’s, then what we did is completely normal. After all, who dares to say “No” to the God of the entire universe? That would be insane, right? 

If God, your Creator and King, prompted you to do something...something difficult…even something that sounded crazy…you would say, “OK Lord, here I am. Count me in.,” wouldn’t you? Isn’t obedience to your Savior, the one who bought you at a high price, worthy of taking a risk for? Sure, it’s hard. It’s costly as well. But it’s good. I love the line from C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. While discussing Aslan the lion (a symbol for Christ), one of the children asks, “Is he – quite safe?”  The reply: “Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he’s not safe. But he’s good. He’s the King I tell you.”

When we told people what we were doing, so many responded by saying, “Well I’m sure glad God called you to do this, because if He had called me, I would’ve said ‘No’.” I admit, it’s always easy to come up with reasons not to do something that’s difficult or uncomfortable. I came up with several reasons not to come to Indonesia before finally giving in. But for me, it comes down to this: Does God truly love me? And believe me when I tell you that this question has often topped the list of my particular struggles. Not, does He love me like my wife loves me…or my parents…or the way my friends love me; but rather, does God love me absolutely and completely like He claims in the Bible? If I say I believe that the Bible is God’s Word and it is true, then His love for me must be true as well. And if His love for me is true, then I can truly trust Him. I can be confident that whatever His plans for me might be, they will most definitely be in my best interest. 

Then I consider how many times in my life I have ignored God’s Plan A and chosen my own Plan B. As I look back at those times, I cringe. Not once, not one single time did Plan B ever work to my advantage! In many cases following my own way cost me dearly. Other times were just a waste of time. So the way I see it, “No Lord” is a response that should never cross a believer’s lips. If you say “No,” then He’s NOT your Lord. Imagine refusing the One who gave you life and sustains every moment of it. The One who not only made you but bought you back at the price of His own Son.  Saying “No” to HIM is nothing short of audacious rebellion.  At that moment, you are grieving the Holy Spirit and have stepped outside of His will for you. You have made yourself Lord. And frankly, you make a lousy Lord. So do I…I’ve tried.

Quite honestly, given the mess I’ve made of things in the past, I’m simply too scared to give my own lordship another go. I’ve been broken and redirected back to Him too many times to want to stray again. Don’t get me wrong, I still make mistakes. But that’s where confession, grace and forgiveness come in. I think God is more concerned with my obedience to Him than my perfection. So if obedience to my Master is radical or extreme in the eyes of the world…okay. You can just call me God’s “yes-man” from here on out. After all, He’s the King I tell you.