An Encouraging Word

            Are you crazy?  That is what they said about the Apostle Paul.  He was once a fine upstanding citizen and a leader among the Jews.  But now he has been arrested because of his faith in Jesus Christ.  He was asked to appear before King Agrippa and Governor Festus to give his defense.  Standing before the King and the Governor of Judea, Paul told them how he was well educated, successful, and a prominent Jew.  And one day as he was on the road to Damascus, He had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.  And since that day he has been proclaiming the message that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the way to salvation.  He told King Agrippa and Festus that they should repent of their sins and turn to Christ and they can be saved.  When Festus heard Paul say this he said: “Paul, you are insane.  Too much study has made you crazy!”

            Are you crazy?  That is what they said about Eric Liddell when he refused to run in his Olympic race because it was held on a Sunday.  He was the hero of Scotland.  He had qualified for the Olympics and was a favorite to win his event.  But when the race schedule was posted, his race was scheduled for Sunday morning.  Being a devout Christian, Liddell had a conviction that he should not compete on a Sunday.  His countrymen called him crazy.  He was willing to give up a gold medal and a place in history to follow his spiritual convictions.  When his teammates and the royalty of England could not persuade him to run, they said: “Eric, you are crazy!  You are giving up everything because of your God!”

            Are you crazy?  That is what my supervisor said to me the day I resigned from my job as an accountant.  I had finished my degree in Accounting and had worked at this CPA firm for two years.  Although I was doing well in the eyes of others, I was miserable inside my heart.  I knew deep down God wanted me to be a Pastor, not an accountant.  I knew what I needed to do.  I needed to quit my job, enroll in seminary, and begin the five year process of preparing to be a Pastor.  When I shared my plans with my supervisor he said: “Rob, are you crazy?  Do you realize what you are giving up?  What you are doing doesn’t make any sense.”

            Are you crazy?  Has anyone ever said that to you?  If they haven’t, maybe they should.  The Bible says that if you live a life of faith, the world will call you crazy.  The Bible says that if you live for Christ, the world will not understand.  The Bible says that if you live your life committed to Jesus Christ, the world will call you a fanatic who doesn’t live in the real world.

            May I encourage you today to be “crazy for Jesus?”  Don’t settle for being normal.  Live your life with passion, conviction, and zeal.  If the world calls you crazy, you can know you are in good company.  May I encourage you today to know what you believe, why you believe, and so live your life in such a way that others will call you “crazy for Jesus!”

Be encouraged,

Pastor Rob