Outlive Your Life

So for Christmas my mom wanted this book by Max Lucado, "Outlive Your Life" but once I gave it to her I stole it and brought it with me to Malibu.  I did end up buying her a copy and shipping it back to her.

This book is amazing and is really having me rethink my role as a Christian.  Sometimes I seem to think that I am doing all the "right" things by going to school and getting my education so I can live out God's will in my life.  I psych myself into thinking I am living my Christian life to it's fullest.  I get stuck in my own little world and forget about all of the things going on around me and around the world.

The first chapter of this book really made me think even more about this.  It asks, "Had you been a German Christian during World War II, would you have taken a stand against Hitler?  Had you lived in the South during the civil rights conflict, would you have taken a stand against racism?"  Immediately after these questions I think to myself of course I would have taken a stand against these things.  I'm Christian and I would give my life to whatever God wanted me to do.  As soon as I feel all high and mighty about my decision, it asks this question: "When your grandchildren discover you lived during a day in which 1.75 billion were poor and 1 billion were hungry, how will they judge your response?"  My feeling quickly changes.  It's easy to look back and say we would have taken a stand during those tragic times but when we look at our current lives, are we doing all we can to take a stand regarding the issues that are going on now?

Immediately after I read this chapter I felt like I needed to travel to a third world country and start feeding the hungry but two things came to mind.  1.  I live in LA, and there are tons of hungry and poor people right here that I could help and 2. I really need to bring this to God and see what He wants me to do instead of trying to fit what I think I need to do in His plan.

The catch phrase of this book is "You were made to make a difference."  After all, "We are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things planned for us long ago." (Eph. 2:10)

It's so easy for us to forget there is a greater plan than the one we see in the next 2-3 years (graduation, career, etc.).  We really were made for a greater purpose and were made during this current time for a reason so we could help with these issues.  So I think back to the original question: "When your grandchildren discover you lived during a day in which 1.75 billion were poor and 1 billion were hungry, how will they judge your response?"

-Carly