What If?
I did a weird thing this weekend. Well, maybe not weird, but certainly inconsistent with the previous 10 years of my life. I picked up a book. And as if that were not enough, I actually READ it.
"OH MY!" you exclaim.
I know, seriously.
And when that book was finished, I picked up another. And when THAT book was finished, I picked up another... and bought several more. The problem is, for all the answers I find as I read, I find even MORE questions. For example:
What if my life looked like the life Jesus lived? Would my days still be filled with Facebook and MySpace? Would I have watched four seasons of "The Shield" in the past month? Would I eat out three times a day, and five on the weekends? Would my money be spent on everything Steve Jobs deemed worthy of wearing that glorious little piece of fruit on its highly scratch-able outer shell?
What if I could ask a girl to dinner without wondering what (or how soon) the gawking gossips would flood the streets with rumors of romance? Is it even possible to show an interest in someone anymore without everyone running to check the registry at Sears or Target and pick out wedding gifts?
What if I talked to God the way I talk to my friends? Would our dialogue be more real? Would I still use fancy "religious" words to try and impress him, as if he had never met someone with a vocabulary quite like mine? Or would I simply be embarrassed by our conversation, because the way I talk to my friends isn't very loving?
What if my actions reflected the things I said? Or better yet, what if I only said the things I really did? Would my lips ever move?
What if I loved people the way I love myself? I mean, I love myself... a LOT. But that guy sitting on the corner of the Marietta Square in need of a job-- or more immediately, a meal-- I don't think I really love him very much. In fact, I hope he doesn't ask me for money when I walk by, because I'll probably feel awkward and tell him I don't have any money to give him. And then I'll run in to Winan's and grab a nice cup of hot chocolate, even though it's summertime, because they make really good hot chocolate.
What if the four empty rooms on the upstairs level of my house were filled with people who wouldn't otherwise have a place to call home?
What if my TV didn't sport a 60" screen? Would I still enjoy the Lakers, and Jack Bauer, and watching Simon point out Paula's (increasingly) embarrassing reactions to every singer on American Idol? What could I do with the $3000 I would have saved? How could I have used it to make this world a better place for someone other than myself to live?
What if by this time next year, my life looks nothing like it does right now, because God uses the answers to these questions to change my selfish little heart?
What if by this time next year, my life looks exactly the same?
What if you forwarded this on to all your-- just kidding. But I would encourage you to read more... and not just Harry Potter, or John Grisham, or those new vampire romance novels that can't possibly be as good as everyone says they are because, well... they're vampire romance novels. Read books that challenge you... books that make you think... books that ask hard questions, and force you to do the same.
"OH MY!" you exclaim.
I know, seriously.
And when that book was finished, I picked up another. And when THAT book was finished, I picked up another... and bought several more. The problem is, for all the answers I find as I read, I find even MORE questions. For example:
What if my life looked like the life Jesus lived? Would my days still be filled with Facebook and MySpace? Would I have watched four seasons of "The Shield" in the past month? Would I eat out three times a day, and five on the weekends? Would my money be spent on everything Steve Jobs deemed worthy of wearing that glorious little piece of fruit on its highly scratch-able outer shell?
What if I could ask a girl to dinner without wondering what (or how soon) the gawking gossips would flood the streets with rumors of romance? Is it even possible to show an interest in someone anymore without everyone running to check the registry at Sears or Target and pick out wedding gifts?
What if I talked to God the way I talk to my friends? Would our dialogue be more real? Would I still use fancy "religious" words to try and impress him, as if he had never met someone with a vocabulary quite like mine? Or would I simply be embarrassed by our conversation, because the way I talk to my friends isn't very loving?
What if my actions reflected the things I said? Or better yet, what if I only said the things I really did? Would my lips ever move?
What if I loved people the way I love myself? I mean, I love myself... a LOT. But that guy sitting on the corner of the Marietta Square in need of a job-- or more immediately, a meal-- I don't think I really love him very much. In fact, I hope he doesn't ask me for money when I walk by, because I'll probably feel awkward and tell him I don't have any money to give him. And then I'll run in to Winan's and grab a nice cup of hot chocolate, even though it's summertime, because they make really good hot chocolate.
What if the four empty rooms on the upstairs level of my house were filled with people who wouldn't otherwise have a place to call home?
What if my TV didn't sport a 60" screen? Would I still enjoy the Lakers, and Jack Bauer, and watching Simon point out Paula's (increasingly) embarrassing reactions to every singer on American Idol? What could I do with the $3000 I would have saved? How could I have used it to make this world a better place for someone other than myself to live?
What if by this time next year, my life looks nothing like it does right now, because God uses the answers to these questions to change my selfish little heart?
What if by this time next year, my life looks exactly the same?
What if you forwarded this on to all your-- just kidding. But I would encourage you to read more... and not just Harry Potter, or John Grisham, or those new vampire romance novels that can't possibly be as good as everyone says they are because, well... they're vampire romance novels. Read books that challenge you... books that make you think... books that ask hard questions, and force you to do the same.
posted by Rob Greene at 6:55 PM
0 comments
