Comfortably Uncomfortable

One day I want to live a radical life for Jesus.

But first I need to get out of debt. Pay off my mortgage. Start a family. Learn a little more about the Bible. Save some money and watch the football game.

After that- I'm all in.

I'm half kidding.

I say "half" because although I've never actually made such a black and white statement like the one above, I live everyday like it's the truth.

My friend, Chuck gave this message called, "but first" awhile back that shook me to my core. I haven't be able to shake it off.

There is a book in the Bible called Luke. In his book, Luke shares with us an encounter involving Jesus.

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.'

Jesus replied, "foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nest, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

He said to another man, "follow me".

But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family."

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God". (Luke 9:57-62)

Jesus is harsh.

Following God means being homeless? Not being able to bury our parents? Not even saying goodbye to our families?!

The message of Jesus isn't complicated, but it is difficult.

Really difficult.

It's hard enough to commit to going to church on our day off, reading the Bible, and praying. But now Jesus asks this of us too?

Too much of our lives are spent compartmentalizing our faith. There is a time for school. A time for work. A time for church. A time for TV. A time for friends. And alone time.

Somewhere Jesus got lost in our list of "to-do" items that we check off each week.

I'm like the first guy: so quick to say, "I will follow you wherever you go."

But first...

First let me go to work. First let me finish schooling. First let me blah, blah, blah.

For too long we've used the Bible to "challenge us" while we continue to live our American Dream with a hint of Christianity.

I want to follow Jesus- not on Sunday's or during a Bible Study, but with my entire life.

I know I'm young. I know I'm dumb, emotional, passionate and idealistic. But if I can somehow actually be like Jesus in the midst of that, then I'm ok.

I want a nice house, car, and retirement. I want my wife to have everything she wants. One day I want my kids to have everything they could desire. But not at the expense of another child dying because they don't have clean water. Or my neighbors going to bed hungry and cold because they lost their job.

I'm tired of reading the words of Jesus, feeling all tingly inside and then going back to my comfortable life and watching the world around me die both physically and spiritually.

I think God is sick of our, "but first's".

Frankly, I'm sick of my own.

Maybe you are too...