“The Christian is to be both contemporary and radically different.” – Jacques Ellul.
I read this quote in a small devotional book by Charles Ringma. I liked Jacques Ellula’s quote and his passion to communicate this often misunderstood thought.
If my life here on earth is about nothing more than being “saved” and enduring this world until I am taken home to be with Jesus… not only would I be wrong, but disobedient as well.
There is no virtue in isolating myself from the world… it won’t keep me safe… and it won’t make me holy. It will however make me ineffective and irrelevant. Likewise… there is no virtue in being culturally trendy and blindly doing the latest and hippest things that society wants me to do. That would make me nothing more than a parrot.
I am to be both relevant and different. If I fail to be relevant, I won’t be heard. If I fail to be different, I have nothing to say. I need to be culturally aware of the issues in the world today… while withdrawing for times of reflection and prayer.
So… what’s next in 2016 that will push me to be both contemporary and radically different?
Something pretty exciting …
Here’s a not so small hint… I’m taking delivery of this later today.
