Isn’t it interesting that the biblical word for "Witness" is Martyr?

I guess it’s not surprising considering all of the things people went through for the cause of spreading the Good News. Being stoned to death, crucifixion, sawn in two, beheaded – these were the risks for living a life on the edge of God’s work.

Not a particularly inviting recruitment strategy, but effective nonetheless.

This is why it’s a bit concerning. There’s a lot of discussion about following God’s will for our lives – I see it in books, music and TV. Everyone is pushing people to the forefront saying this is where Believers need to be.

Unfortunately, there is a marginalized version of this message going out. A message that ensures the Believer comfort, safety and convenience. That if one is truly in the center of God’s will, they are protected from the harm that befalls others.

And therein lies the rub – the biblical characters found at the center of God’s will are the very one’s suffering, doing without and giving it all away for the sake of loving their neighbor.

Without jumping into a bunch of passages to prove something, think for a moment.

When was the last time you were faced with making a choice – confronted with a moral dilemma, or wondering if God was directing you properly – what was the overall deciding factor?

Was the decision you made at the time based on conviction or were you trying to avoid conflict with others, afraid of how the decision would affect your comfortable life, how it would look to others, and what you would have to sacrifice to make it happen?

I’m not the perfect decision maker here. Just asking a question.