Transformed

About three years ago, I read The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne for the first time. (I say "the first time" because I have read it a couple more times since then.) I tell people this book changed my life, and I know that sounds cheesy, but it's absolutely true. The author's experiences, passions, insights, and the way he chooses to live changed my worldview. I became acutely aware of human suffering, injustice, and broken systems. I realized how well-off I am compared to the rest of the world, and I realized that Jesus never intended for us to be apathetic to suffering, poverty, and injustice. God used this book to transform my heart so that I began to understand what is meant by loving my neighbor as myself, and how differently we will live if we truly love God and have been transformed by him.

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." -Matthew 22: 37-40

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth." -1 John 3: 17-18

But as I realized these things in my heart, I encountered a couple of roadblocks. To prevent this post from getting too lengthy, I will write about these separately over the next couple of days. For now, go check out The Simple Way. There's some good stuff there.