living radically

the title of this post makes it sound as if i actually know a thing or two about living radically. i must admit that i don't. the only thing i really know about it, the only thing i've managed to figure out thus far is that i'm supposed to be doing it -- to be living radically.

let me spill what's been a secret in our house for the past week or so. we have been praying about whether God was leading us to adopt two brothers from the waiting child list. two brothers. ages 6 and 8. i don't really want to get into details, but we finally got some confirmation today that the door was closed on us adopting them.

in many ways, it was a relief to have the door close in our faces. i told jamie and a few friends that if i could live in a bubble where the outside world couldn't judge us or laugh at us or misunderstand us, i would happily mother those sweet boys. i didn't really care that they were 6 and 8. but honestly, if the door hadn't closed, i fear i would've run from those boys anyway. because the reality is, i don't live in a bubble and i care too much about what people think of me.

you see, i think as christians, we miss out on our calling to live radically because we're too concerned with pleasing the rest of the world. we don't want to disappoint our parents. we don't want to lose our friends. we don't want to miss out on wealth, success, or comfort. we don't want to look too different.

as we have walked on this adoption journey, i have realized that a lot of christians like to talk about having great faith -- faith that can move a mountain, do the impossible. but when somebody actually believes they can move a mountain -- when somebody actually attempts the impossible or the impractical or the irrational -- those same christians are the ones doubting. they're the ones asking, "are you sure God told you to do this?" and "have you considered all the ways this will affect your life?" i'm confounded by the number of christians who haven't realized that we serve a radical God who demands radical things from his followers. things that don't make sense. things that seem impossible. things that defy all practicality and logic and cultural norm.

we serve a God who, out of no need of his own, created a world just so he could love it.
we serve a God who placed himself in the midst of our chaotic, sinful world so he could swallow up sin, death, sickness, and sorrow into himself and rescue us.
we serve a God who told a rich man to sell all his possessions and give to the poor.
we serve a God who said to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
we serve a God who touched lepers.
we serve a God who equates true religion with caring for orphans and widows.
we serve a God who forgives us and loves us no matter what.
we serve a radical God. and he has created us to be like him. to be radical.

i guess it's easy for me to be writing about how we're supposed to be radical when the big, life-changing decision to adopt two "older" kids has passed me by. but i think living radically isn't just about big, life-changing decisions. i think it's about daily living. living radically is about the everyday choices we make regarding how we spend our time or money, how we speak to our spouse or our children. today, i was late getting back to work after lunch and i couldn't find a parking space. i literally said the f word about 10 times. and i had this post rolling around in my head, and i had to stop and repent and say that becoming impatient and reckless with my words is not living radically. it's easy living, it's living into the flesh, it's looking no different than the rest of the world.

in the end, when everything is said and done, it is infinitely more important that we lived our lives in complete abandonment to the gospel -- even when it's really hard, when it doesn't make sense, when it feels as though everybody in your life might reject you -- instead of to this world. it takes courage and faith to do that. but i believe that God is not only pleased, but glorified when we realize that he created us for incredible things far greater than our puny minds and sinful hearts could ever imagine.

ps - we are continuing to pray for those sweet boys who need parents, and i ask that you would too.