A Direct Choice Between God... and Our Stuff

This is the last entry for Chapter 5... halfway through the book. I've said on many occasions that Chapter 5 was somewhat of a turning point for me. But, it was specifically the last few paragraphs of the chapter that had the most profound effect... and I'm going to talk about them today.

"...[A]s a direct choice between God and our stuff- most of us hope we would choose God. But we need to realize that how we spend our time, what our money goes toward, and where we will invest our energy is equivalent to choosing God or rejecting Him." p. 97

So here's the question I pose to you: If I pointedly ask you to choose between God and your stuff... what would you choose? I think it goes without saying that, as Christians, we would (hopefully) choose God. But, it's not like I'm going to say, "Great! Give me all your stuff then!" There's no one peering around the corner holding your feet to the fire...making you accountable to that choice. There are no apparent consequences to our choice. Talk's cheap... and not always true. I can say that I'm a millionaire, but that doesn't mean that I am, right? Just like I can SAY that I would choose God... confessing the choice really means nothing if I can't back it up. Ever hear the saying: Actions Speak Louder Than Words!

Here are some questions that Chan asks us to ponder: "Are you willing to say to God that He can have whatever he wants? Do you believe that wholehearted commitment to Him is more important than any other thing or person in your life? Do you know that nothing you do in this life will ever matter, unless it's about loving God and loving the people He has made?" p. 97

Think about these questions. How would you answer them... honestly? (And there's a difference between what your answers "should" be and what they truthfully are... or what you want them to be!) Chan goes on to challenge us: "If the answer to those questions is yes, then let your bet match your talk. True faith means holding nothing back; it bets everything on the hope of eternity." p. 97

As I ponder these questions, even now, I have to re-examine my life... my choices... and take an honest account of how I'm living my life. Am I giving God my best? Or am I letting myself off easy... telling myself that I'm "good enough"... good enough for what...I don't know? As I closed the page on this chapter, I walked away encouraged... strangely enough! Encouraged because I finally understood WHY I wasn't feeling connected to Christ. My life wasn't in line with His teachings. I wasn't doing my part. I was encouraged because I realized that I had it all wrong... and I was on my way to allowing Him to make it right!

THE PUSH

We'll be starting Chapter 6, so take a look at Chan's video for this chapter. Chan poses an interesting, thought provoking question towards the end of the video. Think about what he asks... and how you would answer that question.

http://www.crazylovebook.com/videos_chapter.html