« August 2005 | Main | October 2005 »
September 25, 2005
Barbarian at Heart
When I think of the word barbarian images of hairy men in loin clothes carrying clubs come to mind. The word would have nothing to do with my life for I live in a world of polo shirts and khakis, but recently I have been challenged with the thought of living out my faith in Christ as a barbarian. In his book, "The Barbarian Way," Erwin McManus says just that: we are not called to be a civilized people but to be followers of an unsafe God. He says it this way,
"The civilized build shelters and invite God to stay with them; barbarians move with God wherever He chooses to go. The civilized Christain has a routine; the barbarian disciple has a mission. The civilized believer knows the letter of the law; the barbarian disciple lives the spirit of the law. The religiously civilized love tradition; the barbarian spirit loves challenges. The civilized are satisfied with ritual; barbarians live and thrive in the mystical. For the civilized disciple, religion provides stability and certainty; for the barbarian, a life in God is one of risk and mystery."
I've come to realize that I cannot live the civilized religion that many in America calls Christianity. I have encountered the living God too many times and each time he's called me into a deeper relationship of love and risk. He has never promised me it would be easy or comfortable, but he has promised he will be with me.
Posted by Jason at 11:41 AM | Comments (2)