Freedom Fighters
Sir Ernest Shackleton’s voyage to the Antarctic is one of the greatest stories of survival of all-time. Though unproven, there was a legendary advertisement for the 1914 expedition that read: “Men Wanted for Hazardous Journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.”
The story goes that over 5,000 people applied. All of which leads me to believe that some may be interested in following Jesus after all.
Discipleship is often removed from it’s root, discipline, and made into something tame, something for those interested in safety instead of a risky adventure that places lives on the line. But a close look at Jesus reveals that following Him involves the latter. In short, Jesus unleashed a resistance movement that wars against oppressive “principalities and powers” of this world, and as Jesus said, anyone willing to take on such a monumental task must be completely sold to the cause, willing to risk all.
Yet the call to be God’s “freedom fighter” is risky not only because of the formidable opposition, but also because of the weapons God utilizes. The world uses violence and revenge, but God fights with love. The world uses greed and power, but God fights with generosity. The world uses self-interest and indifference toward injustice, but God fights with the willingness to sacrifice “self” for the oppressed in the world.
None easy.
Through Jesus, God places an advertisement for freedom fighters, if anyone is interested.
The story goes that over 5,000 people applied. All of which leads me to believe that some may be interested in following Jesus after all.
Discipleship is often removed from it’s root, discipline, and made into something tame, something for those interested in safety instead of a risky adventure that places lives on the line. But a close look at Jesus reveals that following Him involves the latter. In short, Jesus unleashed a resistance movement that wars against oppressive “principalities and powers” of this world, and as Jesus said, anyone willing to take on such a monumental task must be completely sold to the cause, willing to risk all.
Yet the call to be God’s “freedom fighter” is risky not only because of the formidable opposition, but also because of the weapons God utilizes. The world uses violence and revenge, but God fights with love. The world uses greed and power, but God fights with generosity. The world uses self-interest and indifference toward injustice, but God fights with the willingness to sacrifice “self” for the oppressed in the world.
None easy.
Through Jesus, God places an advertisement for freedom fighters, if anyone is interested.
posted by Al Sturgeon | 12:05 PM
2 Comments:
And I believe it was Shackleton who supposedly ran across Frankenstein's monster in the Antarctic. So there's that.
To show you I don't get out much, I had never heard of him until I stumbled across his story at an IMAX movie with my youngest daughter.
His survival story so amazing that it is practically unbelievable.
(Today's word verification - the call sign for Geraldo's new network: gertv)
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