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Today begins my participation in the Radical Read-along over at Marla Taviano’s. If you’ve read Crazy Love by Francis Chan, this book may not floor you. If you haven’t, well, buckle your seatbelt.
Honestly I had great doubts about reading this book. I have read so many books and while my heart has truly changed I feel like there’s some big next step I haven’t taken yet and I’m scared that this will just be another book to tuck away on my shelf. I’m truly wanting to live radically.
There are two ideas that he presents in this first chapter. The first is that Christ asks for radical abandonment.
This is where we come face to face with a dangerous reality. We do have to give up everything we have to follow Jesus. We do have to love him in a way that makes our closest relationships in this world look like hate. And it is entirely possible that he will tell us to sell everything we have give it to the poor. But we don’t want to believe it. We are afraid of what it might mean for our lives.
See that key word for me “afraid”. And we know how I feel about fear. I don’t want that to be the reason I don’t live radically. For the same reason he gives in the last part of this chapter. The cost of nondiscipleship is high.
The prices of our nondiscipleship is high for those without Christ. It is high also for the poor of the world. Consider the cost when Christians ignore Jesus’ commands to sell their possessions and give to the poor and instead choose to spend their resources on better comforts, larger homes, nicer cars and more stuff. Consider the cost when these Christians gather in churches and choose to spend millions of dollars on nice buildings to drive up to, cushioned chairs to sit in, and endless programs to enjoy for themselves. Consider the cost for the starving multitudes who sit outside the gate of contemporary Christian affluence.
Ouch. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Just today I was planning on blogging about an awesome belt I got from Anthropologie on Saturday. It’s a super cute belt and there’s nothing wrong with belts but it was an extravagance and bought at the cost of someone poor. To be honest, I don’t know where to draw the line. I don’t know when God asks you to sell it all for the poor and I don’t know when it’s ok to keep it. I don’t know. But I do know the $28 I spent on that belt on a whim would have given 28 Africans water for a year. And I don’t know, that just doesn’t sit well with me. It makes me want to do something radical. Like selling a brand new, freaking cute belt.
So I’m selling the belt.
It’s going to be a stake in the ground, that little something I can do, a baby step of selling possessions in giving to the poor and most importantly, water for 28 people for the next year.
If you want this belt for $28, please email me. Your money will go 100% to Blood Water Mission, a worthy cause, the likes of where my money should have originally gone. If I don’t sell it here, I’ll put it on eBay or Craigslist. I just have to do something.
Something radical.
Join the read-along here or be inspired by others’ posts.
Great first step! I don’t know where to draw the line either… and I have lived in poverty and in wealth. And I have traveled to the most poverty stricken places in the world. I think I will always live in the tension of trying to find the balance/draw the line.
Amy,
Thanks for stopping by my blog today! I love how you are getting radical already- you go girl!!!
Umm. Wow, and I just wrote a post on updating your wardrobe. Toes officially stepped on…I want to be so radical that I don’t fit in either. It’s so hard to find that balance of being in the world but not of it. I want the belt – and I think we should start a chain of selling it for $28 to give to Blood Water Mission.
Aw, I hate to step on your toes. Not all belts are bad…I was just convicted on this one.
I think it’s a GREAT idea to make it a traveling belt!!! It’ll be like the traveling pants sort of!
Oh, Amy. That belt! I could not have dreamed a more adorable belt. I mean, really?!
BUT you are living in that tension, and that is EXACTLY where God wants you! There will be times when you buy the belt and rock it with all your fabulousness. And then there will be times when the Holy Spirit whispers in your ear and reminds you of Blood Water and the many sick and dying people who could use your belt money.
And that’s okay because God wants us turning to HIM in these times of tension. Often I think it has a lot more to do with our hearts desire to go to Him and not whether or not we buy this or giveaway that.
But living in that tension is tough. Yet so stinkin’ good.
Thanks for reminding me of the importance of that.
Thanks for the encouragement Ali. I came on to sympathize about agonizing every purchase as I read Radical. It’s interesting living in this tension. Thanks to both of you for stopping by my blog. I bead to learn how to enable my blog to allow replies on comments.
I know, it’s cute right?! I agree, but I’m loving this tension so far…it’s hard but at least I know He’s at work.
So, both my husband and my friend Ali said to me yesterday, “Did you read the post about the belt?” 🙂
And I hadn’t, but now I have. And I think it’s funny that I discovered Anthropologie that very day. 🙂
I LOVE the idea of a traveling belt!! Maybe I’ll buy it next!!
Love this post!
Actually, Marla, you just might get the chance to! My friend Dani and I would LOVE to make it a traveling belt! Stay tuned!
Thanks again for doing this!
Love this idea, Amy!!!
Thanks, Lori! Make sure to check out the latest post…we’ve officially made it the Sisterhood of the Traveling Belt!!