3:10 And he said to me, "Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. Go now to your countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' whether they listen or fail to listen."

...

3:15b "I sat among them for seven days -- overwhelmed."

What can you do when God gives you something bigger than you? When God calls you out to live a radical lifestyle that pits you against the status quo; where you will lose face, reputation, self.

This past weekend I went to a professional geek conference. While I was there I dumbed down what I did as a christian. I spoke in non-profit speak. It's pretty typical for me to do that, but I'm realizing that I'm leaving out a great piece of what God has called me to. It's ok to be sensitive, but I'm called to speak.

For example, instead of saying, "I really like the way Here's Life Inner City does things." I need to be able to say "I'm with Here's Life because they are worried about people holistically, including the spiritual. Long lasting change requires that people know Christ." But why is that so hard?

Because I'm worried about me.
Well... let's see how God responds to Ezekiel...

3:18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will dies for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.

If I'm just worried about me, that passage speaks to me. Apparently God must have felt that Ezekiel was worried about the same thing.

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There's more here. The other day, I was with a Christian friend who was saying some things that were coming accross as insensitive, and I said nothing, because I didn't want to have to confront him and cause conflict. It's just not my place to speak I told myself... though realistically, I was the only one in a position to speak...

3:20 Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself.

Am I really serving God? Or is it just lip service? I think lately it's been more the latter, and less the former. Radical dependence is my only hope. Radical Grace is the only solution. Thank goodness I always have the latter despite the former! That might just lead to radical living!