Cure for the Common Life [2]

Use your uniqueness [2] TO MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF GOD every day of your life.

"don't waste years embellishing your own image. no disrespect, but who needs to see your face? who doesn't need to see God's?"

Take big risks for God. He wants us, not to be shy, but to be bold and loving and sensible.
-Matthew 25:14-15 is the parable of the talents. A talent = 10,000 denarii, and was in that day the biggest unit of Greek currency. 1 denarii was also a typical days' wages. To put it into perspective, Lucado suggests taking your daily wage and multiplying it by 10,000. For one who makes $100/day, that's $1,000,000 a day. Huge. Therefore, consider yourself a million-dollar investment. God gives gifts abundantly & carefully. He will say 'welldone good and faithful' someday - not good and famous, or good and fruitful. In the parable, God gives equal praise to both the 5 talent and 2 talent men- not more to the man who was given more. Do what you can with what you have. The only mistake is not to risk making one. "For fear of messing up, you'll miss out."

Come to the sweetest spot in the universe. This chapter was all about loneliness. We think no one knows me, no one's near me, no one needs me. How do you deal? "Some stay busy, others stay drunk. Some buy pets, others buy lovers. Some seek therapy. And a few seek God," explains Lucado. He invites us to. Even his name is comfort enough: Immanuel, God with us. Not God above us, God with the rich, God with the religious. Not 'I'll be with you when you behave.' God (not angels or prophets or apostles) with (near, present, alongside) us (lowly, lonely sinners). And, Christ takes away our sins, and in doing so, takes away our commoness.

Applaud God- Loud and often. This is chapter and the last one are my favorites thus far. "We suffer from poor I-sight. It blurs your view, not of the world, but of yourself. So often I waver between viewing myself too highly or lowly; but the truth is smack-dab in the center of these extremes- I can do all things thru Christ who gives me strength (phil 4:13). I get this. And I have always struggled with self-confidence and pride: but this chapter actually goes on to explain HOW to get to the safe, good middle ground. Worship. Perfect!!! No wonder Vespers and music in general has affected me so much. 'Honest worship lifts eyes off self and sets them on God.' Lucado reminds the reader that worship is not just music, but can be present in everything we do. And it should be. 1 Chron 29:10-14 is a great example of a prayer of worship. Worship helps us keep on target in life. It lifts our eyes off our present situation and sets them on the 'realities of heaven' which is what this is really all about. We worship God because we need to. But Lucado also reminds us of the biggest and most important reason to worship: "the chief reason for applauding God is that he deserves it."

Join God's family of friends. Lucado claims that the phrase 'brothers' or 'brothers & sisters' appears in the epistles 148 times...pretty important. God's family will outlive the universe. 'Common belief identifies members of God's family. Common affection unites them.' The church is a key part of this - a place of family and friends. But don't date the church. Commit. 'All together make up the body of Christ' (1 Co 12:6). God's body has no nobodies.' :) I like that. And, we find our meaning and function as part of the body of Christ (Romans 12:5).

Tank your reputation. This is one of the best chapters the first time I read it. It hits me less hard the second time around, oddly enough. Philippians 2:5, 7-8 is highlighted here. Love this quote: "God grants us an uncommon life to the degree we surrender our common one." Jesus' earthly father, Joseph, tanked his reputation. He could've divorced Mary quietly and went on his way. He was an educated, respected man in Nazareth. Mary's pregnancy jeopardized his reputation and he tanked it. And Jesus- "no one in Nazareth saluted him as the Son of God." "Deflating egos is so important to God that he offers to help." "When you're full of yourself, God can't fill you." Lucado points out several examples of Biblical authors who tank their reputations:
-Matthew mentions his name twice in his Gospel account- only as a tax collector. and he gives himself the eighth spot in his list of apostles.
-John doesn't mention his name ('John' refers to the Baptist each time)
-Luke wrote two of the most important books in the Bible but not once penned his own name
-Paul calls himself: a fool, the least of the apostles, less than the least of all saints, cheif of sinners. as he grew older, his ego grew smaller