Outside The Box
Wouldn't it be great to grow and move ahead and make progress in what we are doing in life? Hey, we all want to because if we aren't - we are slowly moving backward. Too many times our progress in life is hindered because we are afraid to think and move outside the little box that we have made. Many things that seem impossible really aren't - we are just hindered by the parameters we have put on our thinking. Sometimes it's how we do things that is so deeply imbedded in us that we can't see alternatives. Yet, we are told that in order to survive and move ahead in the years to come we must be ready to think differently and make changes.
But it's so comfortable!
Jesus was quite a radical when it came to moving people outside the box of mediocrity. He healed a man one time and the religious leaders had a fit because as they said, "we've never seen anything like this."
Mark 2:1-12 (ESV) 1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the paralytic— 11 "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
There it is! We are afraid to move outside the lines because it's unknown. We stick with what is comfortable. But if we continue to stay there we are going to be left behind.
Think about it! How many things around you have undergone radical changes in your lifetime? How many things have come about that you never thought possible but now you make use of everyday? The electronic world has forced us to make some very rapid changes. But it doesn't stop there. If we refuse to change, we'll only advance as far as the parameters of our little box called our comfort zone.
Back to Jesus…
He was great about moving people outside the lines and the box they had created for themselves. He told His disciples to feed a crowd of 5,000 when the lines of "impossible thinking" had boxed them in. But Jesus knew how to move them outside the lines. When they expressed the impossibility of the situation He told them to bring the little they had. Jesus took it, gave thanks for it, and told them to distribute to everyone. It multiplied as they went through the crowd providing enough for everyone and even an impressive sum left over.
John 6:1-13 (ESV) 1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" 10 Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost." 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.
What a profound way to get the disciples to think outside their little box. Just think of how little would have been accomplished by the first century church if they never stretched and been moved to think outside the realm of comfortable thinking.
What about you?
If you'll take note - God has been moving you to think and move outside the box, to stretch your thinking, and move out of your comfort zone. It's time to move, to think, to stretch, to grow or you'll simply be left behind.
Think about it and take a step to move beyond the box that has you trapped this week.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker
Bob is the pastor of Christ Community Presbyterian Church, Clearwater, Florida. See www.ccpconline.org for church information and listen to Bob’s latest sermons.
FCA Endurance – Clearwater – We have registered and are forming a Clearwater Huddle of the FCA Endurance team. We will be announcing a “start up meeting” in the coming month. Check my website for updates and/or send me an email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please pass the word to athletes in the Clearwater area. For information about FCA Endurance see www.fcaendurance.com .
