A long overdue Radical post

With all the chaos of moving & starting my new job & having to reschedule Bible study twice, I haven’t had a chance to blog about Radical lately.  So, thoughts on chapter 6.  And I'm sorry if this gets lengthy, but it was a really good chapter, so hang with me.

I think this chapter is very convicting for just about anybody.  How much is enough?  Or how much is too much?  How does compassion exist in the materialism of this world?

…if our lives do not reflect radical compassion for the poor, there is reason to question just how effective we will be in declaring the glory of Christ to the ends of the earth.  More pointedly, if our lives do not reflect radical compassion for the poor, there is reason to wonder if Christ is really in us at all. (111)

Ouch.

Does this mean that we are to have nothing?  Are we to live as though we are destitute?  Not necessarily.  Jesus says He came so that we might have an abundant life, a full life [John 10:10].  This includes God blessing us with things.  Things that we don't need, but things that we enjoy.  However, this does not mean that people who have more are more blessed or more loved by God...it's just life.

Either way, God calls us all to be good stewards of what we do have.  I feel like that word steward is one we hear a lot in church, at least when it comes to money...but what does it really mean?  The literal definition is "a person who manages another's property or financial affairs."  What we have isn't really ours in the first place...we're managing what God has blessed us with, & should manage it in a way that brings the most GLORY to Him.

Much error would occur if someone walked away from this chapter thinking that money and possessions are necessarily bad; they are actually good gifts from the hand of God intended for our enjoyment and the spread of His glory. (112)

A few other verses you can look at on this subject:

Hebrews 13:5, Acts 20:35, Titus 2:7, Leviticus 19:9-10, Titus 1:7-9, 2 Timothy 2:15

Jesus cares about how we spend His money...just look at the story of the "rich young ruler".  

Jesus was launching a direct attack on the sense of security and stability this man had in this world. (122)

I think Jesus is going to ask for whatever you're least willing to give.  Why?  Because that's what separates us from Him.  It's not that Jesus wants us to be unhappy...it's that we don't understand how happy we could be by relinquishing every earthly thing to Him.

 I loved this story that Platt told to demonstrate:

A wealthier man in our faith family came to my office after we had been studying the story of the rich young man.  He sat down, looked at me, and said point-blank, "I think you're crazy for saying some of the things you're saying."  Then he paused, and I wasn't sure what direction this conversation was going to go.  He continued,  "But I think you're right.  And so now I think I'm crazy for thinking some of the things I'm thinking."  For the next few minutes, he described how he was selling his large house and had decided to give away many of his other possessions.  He talked about the needs he wanted to invest his resources in for the glory of Christ.  Then he looked at me through tears in his eyes and said,  "I wonder at some points if I'm being irresponsible or unwise.  But then I realize there is never going to come a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.'  I'm confident that God will take care of me. " (123)

 Later Platt points out that as Americans, we are rich.  Whether we feel like we are or not, most of our culture is a luxury when compared with what many in the world have.  Have you ever seen this site?  Enter a salary & this shows you what percentage you are in.  When I am in the top 7% of the richest people in the world, that just shows how much we as Americans have.  That's unbelievable.  I'm 24, working at my first real job after college, single...& just on that little income, I am RICH.

Being blessed more means being about to give more.  We will not give sacrificially & then be miserable because of what  we might be missing out on.  That's just not how our God works.

There is enough of everything in the world.  God wouldn't make a world for us to live in where He didn't provide.  The problem isn't found in the amounts of money, food, water, etc; the problem is in the distribution.  You see, we were all meant to share.  This isn't a plan B that we're putting into action because God didn't create enough.  This is His original plan.  This is part of why we give our first to God [Deuteronomy 18:4].

If you have the book, read (or re-read) pages 132-133.  If not, I'm going to paraphrase for you:

If we're living out this radical Gospel, there will be fruit.

Meeting needs on earth is primarily for God's glory, secondarily for the people.  It can't be about feeling sorry for them.  Anyone can have compassion on people & help them out.  As Christians, we are called to take care of His children for HIS glory.

His plan of enough brings glory to Him.