The Faith Life Should Look Crazy!
Posted in UncategorizedIn our culture, nobody wants to look crazy. “Crazy” people tend to stick out because what they are doing makes no sense. Obviously, if you asked them, they would say that what they are doing has a very reasonable purpose, but when you hear the purpose you generally roll your eyes and shake your head (at least on the inside).
For several years I lived in Los Angeles, a safe haven for crazies.
I worked at a Starbucks next to a busy freeway, and underneath that freeway some of the most bizarre people I have ever seen would hangout there. One lady in particular (we called her “Dancing Lady”), used to dance on one side of the street from one stoplight to the next, passing under the freeway, cross the street at the light, dance back under the freeway to the same stoplight she just left, and cross the street only to start all over again. She would do this all day! None of us, however, had the guts to ask her why.
Another guy, we called “Four Guy,” used to stand underneath the same freeway holding up four fingers while staring at oncoming traffic. We never figured out why the number four was so important to him, but when “Dancing Lady” and he were “workin’ it” on the same day, it was quite interesting.
I bring up these stories because I truly believe that many Christians are afraid to authentically live like Christ calls us to live because we know we will look crazy to others. Think about itŠhow many people walked away from Jesus during his ministry on the earth because his call was too “crazy?” When you read the Gospels, it is shocking how many times people heard what it meant to follow Jesus, but when they saw the cost they knew it was too great. To stick with the theme,
it was crazy!
Probably more important, however, is that they didn¹t see what Christ offered as more valuable than what they could get out of this world; the value didn¹t outweigh the cost. When they looked at their money, possessions, families, pursuits, desires, and goals, they loved what this world had to offer, and therefore the thought of foregoing them was stupid.
To people then and now, Jesus proclaims:
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matt. 13:44-46).
Why did he say this? Because if you don¹t believe that following Jesus how he asks you to follow him is worth it, eventually you too will walk away like so many have before you. Following Jesus is the freest and most wonderful gift ever (Eph. 2:8-9), but it the freest gift that will cost you everything (Mark 8:35; Luke 14:25-35)! It is free because you could never earn this relationship with Jesus, but costly because following him will require you to walk the same grueling and “crazy” path that he did (Matt. 10:24-25; Heb. 13:12-24; 1 John 2:6).
