blessed-take advantage of it

So many times I've heard, from my parents, peers, friends who visit, etc that "we are so blessed to be on this campus with this incredible view and take advantage of it now because you'll never have an opportunity to live in a place like this again, etc, etc, etc" I do agree, yes, that being on this campus is a unique opportunity and given the fact that I want to work in a social service agency in the middle of a city, no, I probably will never have this view again. It's the "take advantage" part that doesn't sit well with me.

I'm no theology major or biblical scholar, but from what I can understand and have heard preached from more knowledgable folk than I is that, as Christians, we are not called to be comfortable. I mean, Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow him. I'm pretty sure that carrying a giant wooden object can't be comfortable, no matter how you hold it...

jokes aside, I cannot come to a point where following God looks like soaking in his blessings and marinating in them forever. I'm not sure where I heard this, but it sums up what my feeble brain can gather from Scripture and studying Christ's life..."we are blessed to be a blessing." As soon as we recognize that we are blessed, we should create ways in which we are blessings to others. I can't help but look at the numerous times in chapel and Time-Out and in my bed where it's been, "God fill me up" and "we ask for your blessing here today" and "rain down your love on us" and... God has already sent his love; Jesus tells us who the blessed are- we're too busy looking West to see it.

Maybe we should stop sitting in our beach front rooms crying out for blessings and go be with those whom Christ has already called blessed. Maybe we shouldn't question whether we should drink alcohol "because it's legal and the people we hang out with don't struggle with alcohol addiction, so I won't be a stumbling block " but why we aren't hanging out with those who are struggling with alcohol dependency and walking in solidarity with them to help overcome their addiction. Maybe instead of looking at the "destitutedness" and "depravity" and "poverty" of places like Mexico and Uganda and _______ (fill in the blank) and thinking, "man, those poor people. I don't know what to do with the cognitive dissonance so I'm gonna chat it over with my buddies until I feel better," we follow their example of relying on God to provide more for us than the flowers of the field or the birds of the air.

Maybe it's time to get uncomfortable.

After all, dying on a cross can't beat the view out my window.