Radical but Simple

In Sunday School class, we broke into small groups to discuss our dreams for making impact in this world. We were admonished to "dream big."

Since the recent publicized Ted Haggard scandal, I've been thinking about Christianity and "bigness." What I've concluded is, perhaps we've missed the boat in thinking God requires (or desires) "big" things from us. Unfortunately, I've not been blessed with the words to verbalize my thoughts. Actually, thus far, I've not even wrapped my mind around my emotions. It's as though there's an emotional stirring saying, "it's not right," but no mental capacity to articulate it yet. So for now, I just chew on the ideas and thoughts that come to me, and they of course are coming in no particular order.

I think of Jesus. He invested heavily in 12 men. He didn't start a mega-church. He lived a close life with 12 others teaching them His ways. Those men went and lived radical lives. From their radical commitment the Christian church was birthed.

I think of Susanna Wesley. She was staunchly committed to mothering her children to be intelligent spiritual people. She gave the world John and Charles who brought thousands and thousands to Jesus.

Nothing in life has led me to believe that I am a John or Charles. Rather I'm a Susanna. My calling is to faithfully do the work (albeit small in the eyes of "big" dreamers) he has so clearly sat before me.

A while back a lady very gently chided and questioned me for bringing 5 children into the world. "It's a horrible place. Why would you want to bring innocent people into it?," she asked.

I responded, "You're right. It can be a horrible horrible place. But because I'm committed to the task, I have a wonderful opportunity and privilege to deposit something good here. If I do my job well, this world will be better off because of my deposit."

I think of the things I know I'm to do. My calling, my purpose in life is to live a Godly life of compassion and kindness; to live socially responsible, considering the people of the entire planet, not just myself. Where I purposefully live in a way that doesn't hurt the weak in society, especially those in underdeveloped countries; where I resist commercialism and greed; where I resist the urge to fight for my rights, rather choose to defer.

Kindness is a loftier goal than impact, and kindness produces impact, perhaps not to masses, but to the one benefiting from my kindness.

I think of my mom. She has a neighbor in financial difficulties eat with them nearly daily. I am so impressed with that. Dynamic? No. Meaningful? Absolutely. I want to live this kind of life. Simple, but very purposeful and meaningful.

Doing something "big" for God doesn't always look dynamic. Dynamic is the exception, not the rule. Faithfulness in the day to day mundane routine of life brings Jesus to the world more successfully than the dynamo who reaches masses. Thank God for the dynamos like Charles and John, but I must remember that without Susanna's commitment to godly mothering, Charles and John wouldn't have been.

During Sunday School, conversation eventually revealed that nearly the entire class was thinking similar thoughts to mine. In our closing prayer one prayed that God would help us live "radical but simple lives." I loved the expression. Radical but simple! That is my desire.