Radical Thinking

I confess the book “Radical” by David Platt both intrigued me and challenged me. Ultimately, it left me with many unanswered questions about how a radical Christian life is lived out.

Recently my son told me that he thought the church in general has become shallow, compromising and too comfortable in materialism. As we discussed the book Radical and the spurring on I felt for a deeper walk in Christ after reading it, he replied… “yeah, everyone says that.”

Between the lines he was saying, “so what? What does it matter if you feel you should do something but you don’t do it?” Ouch.

And so, I have been praying. What does it mean to live a radical life? Completely abandoned to Christ.

How would that look in my life today? Do I have only a life of nominal devotion? Have I fit my Christianity into an American dream lifestyle? Is bigger, more, faster always better?

Seems to me that in the furious freeway of life, sometime simple, less and slower is the radical choice. And the road less traveled.

With this in mind, how exactly does one define success in life? Having the most comfortable life? The most toys? The most blog followers? The most published books? What things in this world equate to eternal silver and gold, and what is nothing more than useless wood, hay and stubble?

How do I get beyond the status quo of living a self-centered, comfort driven, blessed American Christian life style? Am I willing to forsake all to follow Christ? What does it mean when following Him comes above anything else?

I confess, I don’t know. But I do know that being comfortable should not be and end game for life. Someday, I long to hear, “Well done good and faithful servant.”  I don’t believe that will happen with me resting nicely in my easy chair.

Therefore, I am seeking the radical God for a life radically lived for Him. I suspect I will need to leave my comfort zone.