Really? (Matthew 16: 24-28)

Dear Family,

It is believed that a good percentage of people never move more than 50 miles away from their hometowns. I dont have the exact numbers, but it is a significant amount. It raises a question for me, why do we stay close to home? Why do we hesitate to stray from home?

I realize the irony of asking this question since Kendra and I are nearly ten to twelve hours from our home towns, but the reality is that we, most of us, do not want to leave the nest. In order to begin unpacking this dilemma, i had to ask myself what makes me miss Kansas? What makes Kendra miss Kansas? Why do we follow certain routines, almost to a T? Why do i listen to music from the 1980's, still? But perhaps the greatest illustration of how my life is not that different from my upbringing: is that i have found a deep desire to garden. Where did that desire come from?

I grew up with a grandma and mother who loved to garden, and it trickled down to me.

We truly are creatures of habit, even if we are not fully aware of it. But why? Because habit equals comfort, safe, normal, and we know what to expect. When we return to the same vacation spot, time and time again, its because we know about the locals, the weather, the best diner, and the best place to catch the most fish. We shop at our "favorite" stores. And its because we know what to expect, and that always makes us feel safe.

Being safe, being 'normal,' knowing our surroundings and environment is a good thing, right? It could even be said to be a Godly thing. So if that is true, why does Jesus demand that we drop everything that makes us safe, makes us comfortable, makes us feel 'at home' so we can face adversity, oppression, ridicule, violence, and injustice? Not only does Jesus command us to 'take up our cross and follow him,' which leads to his death, inevitably, but more troubling, he demands that we love those who hurt us, we pray for those who persecute us, and that instead of returning violence with violence, Jesus orders us to take up our crosses of forgiveness, mercy, and love.

That is so not comforting.

So why? Perhaps because it is only faith when we leave the world behind, step out into the troubling world that is our world, and love with the power to move mountains. Forgive with the power to heal broken relationships. And be makers of peace with the power to, in the words of a wise sage, "Give peace a chance."

Its not comforting, no not at all. But as i have found out, when i leave my comfort zones and step into a world of unknowns, i find something i never knew existed: abundant living. Perhaps Jesus isn't so much trying to invite a world of suffering as much as he is inviting us to embrace the life that is truly life, and it is only the life that Jesus knows about, gives, and offers. Living in the mystery invites us to find out who we really are. Comfort zones are nice, safe, comfortable, but true life begins when we take the chance to live outside the box. Why dont we all embrace the life that is truly life? Who knows what we might find, experience, and witness? Amen.

Shalom,
jerry