Wednesday, February 23, 2011

What Will You Do Differently?

"Because of the chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly."  -- Philippians 1:14

Most remember the Miracle on the Hudson. Ever wonderful how that event changed the pilots, flight attendants and passengers who survived a moment that should have ended in death? The people on that plane were part of a miracle and it changed their lives forever. They expected to die as they prepared for the plane to crash. And they lived. They were given a second chance to live life differently.

Some people face their moment after a car wreck, an illness, a job loss. Whatever it is for you, it is that instant when life changes immediately and forever. You aren't the same person you were before. Your priorities aren't the same. Life isn't the same.

It is in that moment that you realize we aren't guaranteed even another breath. We take that for granted sometimes. Okay. Most of the time. We assume good health, prosperity, happiness, are present or just around the corner. Maybe. Maybe not. We don't have any guarantees and that is what a life-changing moment really highlights. It makes us re-prioritize what is important.

Paul was in prison. He hadn't done anything wrong. He was spreading the message of hope in Jesus Christ. Still, people felt threatened and he ended up in chains. The Christians in Philippi could have faded away, fearful that they, too, would end up in prison. That would have been the easy choice. Instead, they stepped up, speaking God's Word "courageously and fearlessly."

In other words, that opened themselves to God for Him to use them as He saw fit. They did what was important. Not what was safe. Not what was normal. Not what was expected even. They stepped up and they stepped out for Christ.

What about you? How are you living your life? Are you going through the motions, so caught up in daily life that you don't see beyond the here and now? Or have you had a moment when life changed forever? Have you walked through deep grief, fear and change and emerged with Jesus on the other side? Or did you let life swallow you up?

Everyone crashes at some point in their lives. We have a choice. We can keep going and try to pretend it didn't matter. Or we can face our own mortality and realize that the only thing that does matter is Jesus and how we reflect Him to the world. Your choice. What will it be?