Aug 13 2008
What is a safe life like?
I’m curious what a safe or normal life looks or feels like. I’ve never experienced it so I’m curious what it is like. Since I was born I’ve never known normal. My parents served in a faith based ministry and our income was dependent on God and the generosity of His people. We had some lean times but we always were taken care of. We never went on normal vacations yet we had supporters who sent us on vacations. We had months were my parents weren’t receiving pay checks, yet we had more food than we could eat. We never had the wealth of the world but we had love and excitement.
My parents are still in a faith based ministry. My brother and sister are not in vocational ministry but they are followers of Jesus and very active in their respective churches. But they live more normal lives then me. I was the crazy one who wasn’t satisfied with being a Coach/teacher or a businessman. I had to live a life of reckless abandon. What is wrong with me? Is it a gene? Is it a loose screw? Or is it a call?
Sometimes I wonder what normal or safe feels like? I wonder what kind of harm I have allowed my family to endure? I wonder what it would be like to make a comfortable living and be active in my church as a layperson? I wonder what it would be like to not risk? I wonder what safe looks like?
What do you think?
16 responses so far
What I really think is that this’d take a day or two face-to-face with someone who’s not afraid to call a spade a spade, to hash out.
Also, personally, I had a 50-year career in the insurance industry, mostly successful, but I always had this fear of losing my job. So I think the safety thing goes beyond the sort of job or ministry itself.
Bob Cleveland’s last blog post..The Great Hypocrisy
You want me to comment on the gene thing or the loose screw thing? I plead the 5th (or whatever # that is). However, I can comment on the call. Appears to me that both you and Cass have experienced God’s call upon your life to be in “church ministry.” You spoke (wrote) just recently about how you two work together so well. That is not by accident. Following God’s call sometimes involves struggles (in spite of the Osteen’s and Copelands of this world) but your life and those you touch is so much richer. Safe looks boring to me.
Bill(cycleguy)’s last blog post..A Pastor’s Speech
Kevin…who wants safe when you can live the God-called out life?
M. Steve Heartsill’s last blog post..Seeing Isn’t Always Believing
The normal life is worrying where your next meal will come from - it’s having to make choices between nutritious food and merely filling food to quell your family’s pangs of hunger. Its hoping that no one in the family gets sick enough to need medical treatment because medical treatment isn’t an option. The normal life is seeing the minority living a life of luxury while you, your spouse, your aging parents, and your kids break your backs to barely eek out a living. It’s praying to God (which God you pray to depends on the society in which you live) for relief - if not in this life, then at least in the next one. The relief never comes but your misery is lessoned a bit by the faith that relief is on the way.
Half the world, nearly three billion people, live on less than two dollars a day. More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening. The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income. The “normal life” is a life of abject poverty.
Here in the US and in many western societies, we are fortunate that we were born into a protected world that is not “normal” at all. We can follow our dreams - even if those dreams are not capable of supporting us or our families. Most of us can still manage to live a life of comparative luxury. And if we like, we can credit our God for our luxurious living conditions - we can credit Him for choosing us to be the subjects of his mercy instead of all those living “normal lives”.
A3,
Good perspective. I guess very few in the US are normal.
Bob,
I never thought of you as safe.
Bill & Steve,
good points.
Kevin,
Normal is boring.
I agree with Steve Heartsill.
Rick Boyne’s last blog post..Cecil Samara
Kevin,
Is there anything secure or safe? Living by faith in Christ is a risk, but well worth it in the perspective of eternity. I too have lived in a faith based work for over 25 years. God has proven Himself faithful over and over again even though I have failed and been unfaithful in some ways. So it is by God’s grace that we stand. That is why God is so amazing.
If normal is so good, then why is America not a Christian nation and becoming less so every day?
Debbie Kaufman’s last blog post..What Is Meant By Preaching To Itching Ears? Is It Just Preaching The Good Stuff?
The grass is always greener… go with the calling!
Chuck Mullis’s last blog post..ReLit: Death By Love
A3, That was a wonderful post. I’m going to save that one. You have a better perspective on the issue of poverty than most professing Christians I know.
A3: I am going to have to go along with Angie on this one as well.
Bill(cycleguy)’s last blog post..A Pastor’s Speech
Angie & Bill,
Thanks, guys.
Kevin,
Normal as I see it is going to a job everyday mostly to receive a paycheck. Coming home to a family and doing the family life. Trying to have fun along the way. It comes with concerns and problems as well, but without the feeling of being un-normal-different-set-apart. Not constantly feeling this relentless call from to God about the hearts and lives of others. I do believe that many people- American or otherwise simply live their lives never putting much thought into others. To me that is boring- but easy. That is why God does not call everyone to be in ministry. He does call everyone to serve- just not as a vocation.
I feel your pain. I too sometimes long to be normal. However, when I really think about it I am so blessed to have the one true God asking me to do things that others would never dare to even dream about. That is exciting to me as I pursue God with all my heart. You and Cass both are to dare with those of us that God has called out to be bold and relentless for the sake of others- we have to put our lives, desire’s, complaints, and needs aside for His purposes. That is the real call. And a hard one to bare.
Lynn,
Having served w/ you this past year I know you never play it safe & you have had your share of “opportunities”
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Safe looks like fear. IMHO, as always.
jimmy paravane’s last blog post..slouching towards Bethlehem