My Radical, Loving and possibly Communist Christ that I follow

So its been quite some time :)

OOOOPPPPSSS :)

Alot has gone on in the past few weeks, spring break, stress week, and some INTERESTING things back home, not to mention in my own life.

Over spring break, mainly this past weekend, I had to read Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne for my Global Studies class. First off, Global Studies is thus far, my favorite class that i have ever taken. It challenges me to take a different look at Christianity, a look, not at how it is now, but how it was meant to be according to the bible and Christ. Often times when i leave that class, I am fired up to do something with my life for Christ.

This book that we were supposed to read, I will recommend it to anyone. Some call it communistic, others call it radical. Honestly, i think that it's how Christianity was meant to be. Shane Claiborne doesn't live a life of wealth. He makes his own clothes, he looks like a hippie. He doesn't seem to have things figured out or high on the list of people-to-take-serious list. But he sees and lives out the things that go in one ear and out the other often times as Christians. Rich Mullins once said after pointing out how we proclaim we MUST be born again but ignore that we must give away all that we have, "I guess that’s why God invented highlighters, so we can highlight the parts we like and ignore the rest." Shane must look for the white areas.

Shane is anti-war. He has seen the innocent faces of war. He sees the white words of "those who pick up their sword will die by it" and "love your enemies" and lives accordingly.

The point of loving everyone, the point of seeing humanity as beautiful creations loved by God, the point of giving God your all, are extremely stressed in this book, and i think they are points that aren't stressed very often. To tell you the truth, I have often gotten tired of Christianity. As I attempt to get to know my Savior and His word, I find how flawed the religion that is named after Him is and how UNLIKE Him it is. This breaks my heart. Christians are to be HATED, not accepted by the world. We are called to be the light, a fire, to the world, not a little candle that can be hidden in the midst of complacency and the things that this world can offer. We have remembered we should "become all things to all people" but in the midst of that, we have forgotten the one we were called to represent all along. I am not saying that Christianity is far gone or that it is all bad. But i am greatly disappointed in it. We often say one thing and do another, not letting Christ CONSUME us, till "US" is no longer existent within us and the world. Christianity isn't about comfort or conformity. Its about being hated and yet still loving. Its about people looking us into our eyes and our lives, and declaring NAMASTE, which means "I see the Holy One who lives in you." Its realizing that we were created to live and die to bring glory to this Radical Jesus we live for.

Was Jesus communistic? If by communistic you mean giving to the poor what the rich has had, then yes. For most of my life, i thought that communism was horrible. Why give to those who didn't work enough what others who had worked very hard for had? Then when Christ demands us to give away all we have and follow him, to give away what we work hard for to those of us who are less fortunate, (and lets face it. if you are American, you are in the top 2% of the wealthiest people in the world... someone is less fortunate) it would probably be in our best interest to give what we have. Shane puts it this way: one day there will be a huge banquet with God. He would love to have all of his children there, but he doesn't want to deal with the baggage. ;)

Often times we forget that in the times of Jesus, He was considered extremely radical. He broke the biggies of the Law that Daddy, Abba, set for His people a lonnnggg time before Him. He touched lepers, healed on the Sabbath, trashed the temple, told people to forget thier families, claimed to be God or His Son, He pretty much made the religious leaders out to be bad guys, told people not to bury their dead, talked about mustard, and told people that their definition of "unclean" was messed up, and yet he never sinned. Jesus was a troublemaker. That's what's amazing about Jesus though. He broke down the walls of religion. He didn't offer wealth or power to his disciples, though many thought he would.

He told us:

Leave it all and "follow me."

Leave all you have and enter into a relationship with me.

See how I will live and live accordingly.

See how I die for you and prove my boundless love and be willing to die the same.

See how I am hated and be willing to be hated just like me, but never forget to love.

Love as I have loved, love your enemies, love all those you come in contact with, even those you don't.

You may die, in fact, many of you will, for my namesake and its glory.

Give all you have and enter into a relationship with me and love.

I realize now that Christianity doesn't mean certainty & comfort; but a life full of uncertainty & danger, with a Savior in whom I can find safety & purpose. Christ never promised ease, or love in return from those we love; but we are called to love and shine and make our life worthy of teh call, the call to leave it all, to love, to enter into a relationship with Christ.

I have so much more i want to say, but i will end this one now. :) Thanks for reading :)

- Amy :) <3

"So, no matter what I say, what I believe, what I do, I am BANKRUPT without LOVE."