Chapter 4 of Forgotten Ways starts off with this quote from Ivan Illich, “We can only live changes: we cannot think our way to humanity. Every one of us, every group, must become the model of that which we desire to create.” This quote quite effectively gets to one of my main struggles. I can talk quite fluently in the language of missionality. I know quite a bit of the Biblical basis behind a missional church. I even have the desire for my life to be modeled after the life of Jesus. And yet when it comes down to it, I am mostly inactive with regards to mission. Sure I do the occasional good neighbor type of thing, but my whole life is not oriented around the mission of God. This is a saddening and frustrating fact when I look at my own life.
Why don’t I live my life on mission then? It is easy for me to come up with excuses, both good and bad, to answer this question. Some that I usually fall back on are a lack of true discipleship in my life, my temporary living situation, or not really feeling called to do that specific missional practice at this point in my life (I told you some were bad). Ultimately though, none of these excuses suffice. Even a cursory reading of the Bible clearly conveys that all are expected to take care of the poor and needy and to spread the kingdom of God. No excuses are accepted for not doing so. Jesus does not leave a way out when speaking about the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. Either care for “the least of these” and be called to inherit the kingdom or don’t and receive eternal punishment. No mincing of words there. The expectation is to live missionally. It is to bless those that the Lord has brought into our lives. We are called to live as Jesus did. A tall order no doubt, but we are not alone in this endeavor; we have been given God himself, the Holy Spirit. It is he that enables us to live Christ-like lives. So what is stopping us? What is stopping me? Nothing! I have been blessed with the example of Jesus. I have the desire to see a more missional church and a more missional me. The only thing missing is my own living out of these ideas. And I think it is high time I start living in obedience to God rather than thinking of what this obedience looks like.
-Jeremiah
I think these thoughts should resonate with anyone who takes incarnational living seriously. It is very easy to talk about how or what to change but it is very tough to actually do something substantial. I think this class is doing a great job of taking a class full of idealists and giving them clearer direction. You are a great man and will do great things Jeremiah.
Jeremiah, you speak truth man. I too find myself making up excuses for myself, and they almost always reek to high heaven. I, like so many of our brothers and sisters need to just DO and stop pondering. Of course there is always a need for thought, but thought without actions is just thought.