Burdened

We are currently walking through the sermon on the mount from Matthew 5 on Wednesday nights. We are only 12 verses in and I feel like I have had my but kicked. As I teach on this passage I examine my own life and feel like I am so far from where I want to be. I find my selfish desires getting in the way. I feel like there are so many changes that could be made.

I read stories of people who have put aside their selfish desires and hear how they are impacting their world; not in some third world country, but, right here in America. My throat wells up with this joy knowing they are doing it. I long to be impacting my world in such a way. I long to see the kingdom of heaven manifested here on earth. I long to love my neighbor in a way representative to the way Christ has loved me. I am weak though.

I wonder how different our lives would be if we were able to live out the teachings of Matthew 5 consistently. How would that impact our spheres of influence? We tend to spend time on/with what we value most. Think about that for a minute and then think about your schedule. I know we all work because we have bills but, why do we have so many bills?

As we imagine what Matthew 5 would look like lived out in America and 2009 some of us dream. Our dreams seem bizarre and out there. They seem extreme and outrageous. Maybe they aren't as out there as we would like to think. Maybe that is exactly what we need to do.

I am burdened to live out these verse on a daily basis. No matter how extreme or outrageous I may look, I long to do just that. I want to live an ordinary life making a radical statement about living a lifestyle sent from the Way!