What to Do With This Big, Beautiful, Fascinating World
Yesterday, my friend Dre gave us a glimpse into what happens when a heart opens to what God wants to do in this world. She told us about what happens when a human being stares into her cereal bowl and knows she needs to do something with her one wild and precious life that brings all kinds of good to the world.She wrote about putting warm gloves on cold hands.She wrote about following her own desire to see love tangibly demonstrated in the world, to see the line between secular and sacred blurred and crossed and re-imagined.So far, over $1,500 has been raised.Isn't that beautiful? It's breathtaking to me. It's an invitation into a bigger story. It's what we all hope will happen more and more, in a time of greed and confusion and war and fear.It's what Rim to Rim was for me this summer and early fall, when all of us threw caution to the wind, along with quite a bit of money, so that our sisters in Ethiopia could run far away from trafficking, and into the arms of One who loves them for free.It's time, ladies and gentlemen.Time to stop salivating every time the alarm bell of fear rings out, declaring that we should bunker down and hole in. Time to stop listening when someone insists the world is going to hell in a hand basket.Time to change the channel.If you are getting your information from any source that creates monsters out of people groups, insisting they're the enemy and we must rally together to put a stop to them, so that we can retain our rights and continue living according to how we've been accustomed, you're engaging in fear, and the direction your life will move is smaller and smaller, as your anxiety whittles away at your faith in the God who is working to restore all things.And if you believe that Jesus and his followers had anything good to say, you will remember that fear is something to be cast out. By love. If resurrection means anything, it means that death and fear and dead ends can be turned around, raised to life, and made new. It means that you and I and this crazy world can change. It means fear can be cast out by hope. And love. And joy.Can I get an amen?So, let's replace fear with a question: What will you do to join God in making all things new?Not tomorrow. Not next week.Today.It may be as small as emptying the dishwasher when it's not your turn, or writing an encouraging note or text or email to a friend. Or sending a pizza to someone's house tonight. Or driving to the hospital, sitting in a waiting area, and praying silently for those who suffer.Or it may be big and blustery, like adopting a child or giving a large chunk of money away to a non profit who is doing lots of good in this world. Or putting a well in a community that needs clean water. Or deciding to put warm gloves on cold hands.Rob Bell writes, "Here it is, a big, beautiful, fascinating world," God says. "Do something with it!" Let's change the story. Let's change the channel.Let's partner with God to bring all kinds of good to the world.Let's look at this big, beautiful, fascinating world and do something with it.Who's with me?Photo Source