Go big or go home!

     You've heard this before.  It's commonly used with regards to sports, men and winning.  The idea is to give it all you've got.  To take the bull by the horns and make it happen.  Winning being everything and losing not being an option.  In the right hands and frame of mind this thought is a wonderful product of a well guided heart.  In the wrong hands it's a recipe for ruining other people's lives, businesses and churches.  Churches?  Yes, churches.  Power plays have no place in the Christian's life.  Yet, we find them within Christian churches, businesses and people's lives no matter how private they want to keep them. 
     I once had the opportunity to speak in front of 15 repeat offenders in a locked facility.  Just me and them in a room with a closed door.  No guards present.  They didn't know or trust me and it was evident.  Hostility hung in the air like a winter frost.  As I spoke of my wanting to help them one man stopped me and said, "You know that before anyone could come to help that we could kill you."  I replied that this statement certainly reflected his belief.  I also told him that it wasn't true.  Go big or go home.  Power play.  The pause was significant in that everyone was now focused on the increasing tension.  He said, "What do you mean?  Of course we could kill you."  I again said that wasn't true.  I went on to say, "I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and all you can do to me is set me free and let me go home to Jesus.  It's something I look forward to. Death here on earth holds no sway on me.  If you take my worldly life away you set me free to live with God eternally.  You cannot take my life as it belongs to Jesus."  The silence hung there for some moments before the offenders began to look down, away or just close their eyes.  For that moment, God won. 
     It's not recommended that everyone take my moment and repeat it.  The moment was set up, carried out and finished by Jesus.  The Holy Spirit gave the words while the Father set up the opportunity.  The Bible is full of power plays and full of go big or go home.  Problem is that very few Christians believe that concept today.  In it's place is complacency and a shrug of the shoulders.  I'm not saying for a moment that I have always risen to the occasion.  I have not.  Nor am I saying that anyone has always done this.  It's a difficult thing to do to set your life in the hands of God regardless of the outcome.  Yet, as believers, that is exactly what we are asked to do and be.  It's in our acts, words, thoughts and deeds.  It's easy to bring old clothing to a church or agency to cloth those without clothing.  It's easy to donate food to a kitchen or shelter.  It's easy to pray for others and wish them well.  It's easy and it's the easy way out.  We take this avenue and drive our fancy cars, trucks and suv's all the while telling those around us what we've done for Jesus. 
     It's not wrong to succeed.  It's not wrong to possess thing.  It's not wrong to have vacations.  It's not wrong to have and do a lot that Christians do.  We are a people set apart to go big or go home because we have a big God who has a big mission.  God's mission has never changed.  He wants to see all people believe and be saved.  Quite simple.  That is until we realize that very few of the Christian church actually believe and participate in that act.  I've been guilty of this so don't hear me saying that I've somehow arrived.  Because I've sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, I'm not disqualified to share the Good News of the Gospel.  Neither are you.  We all have been called and we all have been sent.  Go big or go home.