1 week ago
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
I don't get it?
Today at lunch I had to run some errands. As I was driving back, I saw something that you just don't see everyday and I am hoping someone has some insight.... I saw a man, walking down the interstate, bearing a very large white cross. Let me give you a min to let that set in.... Huh? You are thinking to yourself... YEAH, LIKE JESUS? What is this guys deal? What message is he trying to get across... all I can think is "Hit me, I'm walking down the highway with a large white cross!" A woman that I work with said she saw him on Monday walking in Fort Worth, which is about 40 miles west of where I saw him? So has he just been walking since then?
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7 comments:
Wow, I think that's pretty cool. A buddy of mine walked through the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras carrying a cross. Yes, it's radical, but it does touch people. My only question is...why was it white?
Where I live there are billboards that just say JESUS on them - nothing else. I like that. The simplicity of the cross is what many don't understand, but the simplicity is what makes it so powerful. Simple love. Simple sacrifice. Simple faith like a child.
I have to disagree with you Mark, I don't think it is cool at all. No offense to your friend, but as a Christian, I feel that radical Christians often give Christians a bad name... while they are touching some, they are turning MANY people away too.
There is a guy named Arthur Blessit who has been carrying a cross for 30 some years. Been in almost every country. I dont know... For myself, I would rather show Jesus through my actions and how I treat people. What works for some doesnt work for others.
I can identify with the comment about radical Christians giving Christianity a bad name. As a Christian, that feeling can also be tough because of a reluctancy to share your faith, which I have been called to do. Rock and a hard place.
I dont know if it is the same guy, but when I lived in Texas I witnessed a similar situation. I was driving on a fairly remote highway in the hill country - not a car in sight. Over the next hill and through the heat waves, I could see a man walking on the left side of the highway, but going my direction. The closer I got, I thought I could see him carrying something. A few seconds later I could tell it was huge. Seconds later I could tell that it was heavy. Not until I was right on him could I tell that it was a nine foot cross on wheels, being carried over his right shoulder. There was not a town for miles and miles, and the guy looked ragged like Forest Gump when he finally decided to go home from his run.
I was a man of Christian faith then, as I am now. I had the same thoughts about radical Christians then as I do now. But that moment that I passed that man impacted me greatly.
This man denied himself and followed the words of the Man Himself. He said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." AND "Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
So, really, the only thing these men are guilty of is literally translating the Bible. And what we are guilty of is judgement. I can guarantee that my guy made an impact on me. And I dont really think he was trying to do that. He was just doing what God had laid on his heart...while I am sitting inactive justifying why I dont have time to do more for my God.
Yeah, I can see your point Aimee (and you are always free to disagree with me and I'll never be offended by it). I guess it would boil down to what is meant by "radical". The gospel is in and of itself an offense to people because it exposes their sin rather than excusing it. I think the two questions are 1), is it done in love, and 2), what kind of fruit does it produce? Some people point a finger and condemn people in the name of being radical. However, a reminder of what Christ did for us out of love, to me is a good kind of radical. After all, where does one draw the line? The guy with the cross is basically a walking, visual tract. I used to go to the wildest concerts I could and walk around the venues passing out tracts. Would that be considered radical? From my experience, 95% were very receptive and I got to pray with many people. If I was too concerned with offending the other 5%, the 95 would have gone untouched. I think the bottom line is this: we are the same body, but different parts (and I will blog about this soon because it has been a hard lesson for me to learn). Just because the elbow is kinda weird looking and doesn't get as much attention as the hand, without it we could not bend our arm to get food and water to our mouth. It wouldn't be right for the hand to criticize the elbow (or vice versa) because it doesn't function in the same way. Again, I think it boils down to whether it is done in love and what the ultimate fruit is. Steve got it right when he said "what does work for some doesn't work for others"...and I can certainly relate with the anon commenter as I have not witnessed at a concert for quite some time (been too inactive in that regard).
Anyway, I think it was a very good, thought provoking post. Keep them coming and don't ever hesitate to disagree because it opens up discussion that we all can learn from.
Thanks for the comments guys...
We can never know what is in another person's heart or what God is calling him to do. To carry a heavy cross so long and far, this man is committed to Jesus. I will not judge. I think people respect something that is radical like that because they know the person is sacrificing a lot. And it is hard. It's not to hard to stand or walk around give leaflets out.
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