Afraid to Live?

     We talked to our children recently about what they would do if a tornado hit our house.  We showed them the safest place to be, how to sit or lie down if necessary, and we briefly told them what could potentially happen to us.  You would think that in a situation like that, they would fear for their lives or at least be concerned over losing them.  Maybe it’s because they’re still young and don’t really get the “death” thing yet, but I was amazed at how they seemed to show no concern, no remorse for dying.  They just said, if we die…we’ll just be with Jesus…

                And then it hit me…..this is what the Bible is talking about when it says, “out of the mouth of babes….”  What would our life be like if we paid no more attention to whether we live or die and just trust in the fact that when we do…we will be with Jesus.  Would we take more risks and live carelessly?  I don’t think so.  I believe that living like that would enable us to do the things that God has called us to without any fear of losing that which we think we possess.  Jesus said that we would not truly find life until we lost it, and that He came so that we may live and have life more abundantly.  I wonder sometimes if we fear the unknown because we think we have something to lose, or is it because we have yet to truly live? 

Luke 6:40 reads,

 “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.”   

     The verse does not say one will think like their teacher, but that one would BE like their teacher.  This means that one will act like, think like, speak like, love like, respond like, care like, etc... Chirst.

Until we live like Christ, in everything we do and others see Him in all we do, then we are not finished with our training as disciples.  We must "press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). 

     I know now, more than ever, that I have so very, very far to go to be like our teacher, Christ.  I know my journey has only begun.  There is no depth, no height, no measure by which to measure what can be discovered and learned about our Lord.  I look forward to what He has yet to teach me, what I have yet to learn, and the joy that comes from knowing Him more.