Few Quick Thoughts

I would stick with my name, Christopher which means Christ bearer. That is a name I can say I'm proud to have. As far as being defined by our jobs... as you said there is some underlying reason why we have our jobs that really defines us (what we are fighting for). For each of us our job should be the ministry that we are called to whether as a lawyer or investment banker or whatever and the reason. The reason we feel a bit shallow answering the question is often times we don't have an underlying battle we are fighting. We took our jobs because they would provide us with a comfortable lifestyle or they were the logical next step or were going to help us get to some position power, wealth or prestige. I know some combination of those is why I took my job and also why I'm not there anymore. What do you do is a really interesting question for me right now because there are so many ways I can answer it. When you are an investment banker, you say I'm an investment banker. Do I say I'm a consultant for a non-profit, do I say I'm a missionary, do I say I'm a volunteer, am I a baseball player now or an English teacher? All are true in some way. The reality may be that I don't know. I know God wants me here and I haven't concerned myself too much with exactly what I need to be called.

It has really been interesting for me to reread this book. I've changed so much since the first time I read it and even the second or third time. There was a point where this was definitely what I needed to here. I need to brave. I needed something to fight for. Sitting here now though, my perspective has become more nuanced. I love the fundamental message of the book still but as I read, everything in me screams no to some of the details. The best example is his assertion that God is risk taker. He's not. God is a warrior. God is wild. God is a lot of things but God is not a risk taker. God is sovereign. God can't lose. Risk implies that he can lose, that he isn't in control, but he can't lose and he is in control. We can't lose either when we are in him. You can lose your life. You can lose your money. You can lose friends and family. You can lose everything that is of this world. In Phillipians 3:8 Paul says "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ." There is only an appearance of risk. To the world our actions look risky because we consider loss all of the things they value but we are secure in Christ and where is the risk in that?