Radical by David Platt

I knew when I saw a small blurb in Christianity Today about this book, I HAD to read it. The full title is Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream and I knew it would challenge & continue to convict me in the direction the Holy Spirit has already been leading us. My expectations were right on the money (no pun intended!)!

Here is an excerpt from pages 12-13:

"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 and give it to the poor.
Be we don't want to believe it...So we rationalize these passages away...
And this is where we need to pause. Because we are starting to redefine Christianity. We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with.
A nice, middle-class, American Jesus. A Jesus who doesn't mind materialism and who would never call us to give away everything we have...A Jesus who brings us comfort and prosperity as we live out our Christian spin on the American dream.
But do you and I realize what we are doing at this point? We are molding Jesus into our image. He is beginning to look a lot like us because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with. And the danger now is that when we gather in our church buildings to sing and lift up our hands in worship, we may not actually be worshiping the Jesus of the Bible. Instead we may be worshiping ourselves."

I know this is lengthy, but I couldn't do it justice if I edited it down much more. The point is, Platt doesn't hold back. From the beginning, he is stating his case, supporting it with Scripture and challenging American Christians to move away from their lives of comfort & pleasure seeking and move back toward the Jesus of the Gospels. THIS is what we were created for!

Continuing my study in James is a perfect pair for this book. James too was an author that didn't dally with niceties. He's not very wordy. He states his case, supports it with example and challenges ALL of us to move away from the worldly life and into the Holy Wild of drawing closer to this Amazing God!

I've just spent about a week wading through Chapter 3 and as if the challenge to tame the tongue weren't enough, now in verses 13-18 of that chapter James is fleshing out what wisdom is. Basically, my good behavior, my good deeds in gentleness is what will show the measure of wisdom I have.

Earthly, natural (or unspiritual), demonic (ouch) wisdom includes bitter jealousy, selfish ambition in my heart and arrogance (v. 15). BUT God's wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, and without hypocrisy. (v. 17)

What struck me as I pondered this passage is that most of the fuel to live out the American Dream comes from all of these earthly-wise characteristics (jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogance). Owning a house, a nice car, nice clothes, taking big vacations, eating out are not evil practices...BUT is the reason I have them because of earthly wisdom or God's wisdom. Can I start to filter my wants & needs through this list? Am I buying a new car because of jealousy or because owning brand new will allow me to put more miles on it for God's work? OR can I buy one that's dirt cheap, still use it for God's work and because I didn't pay much for it, am able to let it slip through my hands into another's when the opportunity arises?

This is how we're being challenged. I can't believe we're the only ones! What can I do today that I absolutely can NOT do in my own power...but requires the work of the Holy Spirit. This is how He receives the glory. If I only give my 10% tithe, is that just a membership fee or can I give away so much that I am utterly dependent on Him to provide for us?

James 3:18 says, "And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." There's a cross-reference for the word seed. It's found in Hosea 10:12,

"Sow with a view to righteousness,
Reap in accordance with kindness;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the LORD
until he comes to rain righteousness on you."

Holy Spirit, our ground has been fallow TOO long. I want to seek You...the ineffable One...with EVERY ounce of my being. Help me sow with righteousness in my view & reap with kindness. I pray for your righteousness to rain on me. Lead me, guide me, direct me to follow YOUR dream...not the American one! Amen