Success and Failure Blog

I like the term radical, it’s been given a bad reputation when tied to religion. We constantly hear about “radical religious” people doing harm, protesting at funerals, even murder, all in the name of God. However when I read the Bible I see a different type of Radicalism. Isaiah 58 (that’s Old Testament for those who think the Old Testament is hell fire and damnation) talks a lot about the wrong/right way to be radical.

Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

I know there are a lot of don’ts in the Bible and we tend to focus on these, there are a lot of do’s in there also. I try to live my life focusing on how the Bible tells me to act in love. Odd thing it’s actually easier to focus on the don’ts. If you love someone, you don’t steal from him, don’t lie about him, don’t sleep with his wife, and don’t murder him (see the Ten Commandments) easy right? Basically if you can ignore that your neighbor exists, you can do these. Now the do’s, those are extreme, just a few, feed him, forgive him, fight for him, listen to him, cry with him, share what you’ve worked so hard for with him. The list is a lot longer than that. And a radical will not just do these things but seek out opportunities to do them.

We have all seen radicals on both sides of this coin, which one do you think is changing the world?(even if it is only 1 persons world) Which do you think is pleasing God?