Monday, September 16, 2013

Radical: Very Basic and Important


Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not demand 
and cling to his rights as God. 
He made himself nothing; he took the humble position 
of a slave and appeared in human form. 
(Philippians 2:5-7 NLT)



To live an incarnational life is to live a missional life. 

The words radical and missional are current adjectives to describe Christian discipleship. As always, I find it difficult to take words at face value. I am compelled to find richer meaning to common catch phrases.

In my inbox today, Kevin Scott at Sustainable Christianity referred to this post: Subterranean Life:Re-Imagining Radical. The author, Dan White, Jr. digs deep to the roots of radical. Literally, he mentions that the word radical, comes from the Latin word, radix, which means root. His post made me want to shout: Yes! Someone else gets it! Living out the gospel right where we are rooted makes so much sense. Read his post and you'll get it, too.

Speaking of doing radical things, I have started a online study called Prayers for a Woman's Soul, hosted by Julie K. Gillies. We are praying for ourselves. It's a very basic and important practice that I neglect often. Last week, we asked God to show us any negative mindset that may be hindering our growth and relationship with God and others. This week we are tackling the topic of attitude. Yikes! 

But here's the good news: we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and we can ask for our attitudes to be made new. (Ephesians 4:23)

Missional is a fairly new word to me, but the goal is to live intentionally in a way that demonstrates the grace and love of God to others. Jesus continues to be our best example because He took on human flesh. Who better to make God known to us than God's own Son.

I sometimes resent the discipline that it takes to live a missional life, but when I read God's word, He infuses me with hope and courage to pursue His ways.

The apostle Paul describes "missional" living this way: "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering." (Romans 12:1 The Message)

This directive takes the pressure off of me. It reminds me that when I am rooted in Christ's love then my mind, my attitude and my will become pleasing in His sight.

I leave you with an article that opened my mind to why I resent or even resist discipline sometimes. Check out Artful Obedience by Margaret Manning.


How does the definition of radical 
change your perspective 
on missional living?


Linking with Soli Deo Gloria Party

6 comments:

  1. Hi Kel,
    I wasn't familiar with the term missional until a few years ago, and it's still sometimes hard to define. I like how you describe what it is to be missional.
    Visiting from SDG tonight.
    Blessings,
    Laura

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    1. Thanks Laura! I love how God uses others to help us understand concepts that either seem foreign or too common. I had been thinking missional living was different than incarnational, but then today my thoughts came together with the idea that they are interchangeable and really one feeds the other...as I live out my God given life dependent on His grace and love, I am living out His mission to love others and extend grace...

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  2. Hi Kel! Your post here and the referenced blogpost and article are hitting me at a time when I need to think more on these things. Actually, it all just makes me wants to rest in Lord even more every day....Is it missional to be disciplined in resting in the Lord? This I want to think on more....Good to see you back on solid ground!
    Hugs,
    kelly

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    1. Dear Kelly! Your thoughtfulness warms my heart...I see you sitting in your favorite thinking spot and contemplating all the sweet big thoughts God has for you about rest...it is good to be on solid ground literally and spiritually...see you soon! Hugs and love and grace and peace and joy and most of all rest! Kel

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  3. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, Kel. It's good to have you home and blogging. When I read the quote from St. Paul, it brought to mind two other people who've said the same thing. St. Terese, also call "The Little Flower", commented that when we offer up the little things to God, we become like little flowers in His garden. That gives me a visual image of being pleasing and fragrant to God. It's the little moments that try our patience and sometimes throw us off-kilter. Learning to be aware and to offer those moments to God is certainly living a missional life.

    Also, in 1915, three young children in Fatima, Portugal, were very spiritual, and often wore rope belts tied too tightly as a sacrifice, or a way of reminding themselves to be constantly aware of God. One day, while they were tending sheep, they saw a beautiful woman standing above a bush. These visions occurred on the 13th of every month for several months, and the final one was observed by a huge crowd. They waited in pouring rain, but the moment the children could see the Lady, the rains stopped and everyone was instantly dry. The sun "spun" in the sky. I'd love to read a newspaper account from that day. At any rate, the Catholic church acknowledges the miracle as the appearance of Mother Mary as "Our Lady of Fatima". One of the things our Lady told the children was to stop wearing the belts. God doesn't expect us to do extreme things to please Him. She told the children that if they offered the everyday joys and sorrows of their lives, that that was enough. So gentle, so loving.
    It seems to me that so many of the things that we struggle with now are man-made -- wars, home invasions, muggings, etc. Life, with illness, accidents, and human failings, is hard enough. It seems a shame that anyone would deliberately cause more pain and anguish for anyone else.
    Since Christ is the head, and we are the body, we have to suffer as He did, until we, too, are raised from the dead. It took me a long, long time to understand the concept of "offering up" pain, suffering, and sorrow. But we can ask Jesus to join our suffering to His and to use it for the forgiveness of our sins and of the sins of the world. We can actively participate in our salvation and the salvation of others. That's an amazing concept, and certainly a missional way of living.

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  4. Jeanette- I look forward to seeing you tomorrow as well...thank you for sharing these two simple yet profound stories of missional living...so glad that God does not expect us to add extra suffering to our lives, but does not waste our suffering either.

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