Teacher, Teacher!

I gave my heart to Jesus, and I know I can never take it back-I don't want to. I wouldn't even think of it. I tell Jesus daily, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go, just show me how to love you more". I find that when i am completely open to anything he brings, comfortable or uncomfortable, i get this overwhelming feeling of well, not knowing what's next...
As I was reading this morning (praise God i remembered my BIBLE!) i came across the story of the scribe telling Jesus he wanted to follow him. It reminded me of myself telling him each morning these words, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go" His response? HA.... "foxes have holes, and birds or the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Almost saying, "dude, you have no idea what you are in for....I don't want lip service, just your WHOLE LIFE AND EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES IT!"
God categorized the animals, foxes living in holes, birds live in nests, but he didn't have a known spot for himself. Each animal he listed followed the natural, specific and obvious place to do life. God shows me everyday that to be close to him, I can't be predictable, I can't be labeled, I must be different.
To be different, we must recognize our choices. Just like in the scripture, he's giving the scribe an underlined choice...you can just say you follow me, or you can walk the walk....We can do the natural, just like everyone else (including every "Christian") or we can take the narrow road, and do like Jesus. Just saying you are a Christian isn't taking the narrow road....
What if God said to the scribe, "And the Son of Man goes home to his castle on a nice Sealy postropedic mattress"? Everyone would be on board, but God never gives us a specific answer, he always leads us with a choice. "Yes, young scribe follow me, it will be grand! we will heal people, and raise people from the dead, and you will have a nice house to go home to every night". Isn't that what it means to be a Christian?
I'm a teacher, and I could just teach and go home. That's my job: teach academics, grade a few papers, and give out some awards at the end of the year. that would be the easy thing to do. My class could talk back, run all over the school whenever they wanted, and deal with disagreements through violence. Natural right? Someone hurts you, you hurt them back. How easy would it be for me to just sit at my desk and go through the motions? BUT THEN EVERYONE KNOWS I AM A CHRISTIAN...isn't more required of me?
Gary is in construction. Other than displaying good character through his work ethic and how he communicates with people (which he does so well!), the only "ministry" he has is the PPM. PortaPottyMinistry. He writes scriptures of encouragement in all the PPs. The only responses are from people who hate religion. They say it causes hurt, war, genocide, judgement...ouch...it's true isn't it?
I guess my point is, let's not call ourselves Christians unless we can truly be like Christ. I know we all fall short-and we aren't God, but let's really try. People hear "Christian" and cringe. We all gave our hearts, but we can't take them back half way. People really have a horrible idea of what God is. Not because of God, but because of religion. So back to the Word. Can we be like Him? Not caring what lies ahead? Not caring about ourselves-but willing to do whatever it takes? Willing to sacrifice during a hard season for others? To take the idea of what people think Christianity is and give it back to them as if they had Jesus himself infront of their face?
My brother doesn't go to church. When he found out i wanted to serve others in Africa he researched every negative thing about it. He hates church, it doesn't apply to him, and every Christian he's ever met has tried to judge him in one way or another. He believes in Jesus, but church, forget it. How do you reach someone like that by just saying you are a Christian?
Can we be okay if we have nowhere to lay our heads? If it means that we can't live a predictable life? Or just going through the motions? It doesn't matter if we just go to church
And that leads me back to my question for God every morning, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever yo go, HOW CAN I LOVE YOU MORE?"
"Love the lost-speak their language, walk in their shoes, you no longer have an agenda, so don't worry where you will lay your head, you've got Me and that's all that matters"