to go where no one has gone before...

I love the mission of the original Star Trek series: "To explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before." It's exciting and bold. It's definitely risky and doesn't exactly sound very 'safe.'

You know...I'm thinking we believers should be inspired by that mission, maybe even challenged by it. Think about this...how much of your life do you spend being 'safe,' doing the same old things time after time, rarely, if ever, venturing out for something new. Shoot, maybe you've never so much as changed your hair style for years or even decades.

Now, think about how we live our lives for Jesus. Do we stay pretty safe there, too? But what does he call us to? To live 'safely' or comfortably? Did he live 'safely?' Um... let's see... seems to me that his way of living got him executed. Hmmm... not much that's 'safe' in that, huh? 'Safe' doesn't get one executed. 'Safe' doesn't take risks. 'Safe' doesn't build relationships with people who are not like ourselves. 'Safe' doesn't love people who might not love us back. Come to think about it... 'safe' doesn't do much for anyone... except... ourselves.

Let's change all that, okay! Let's break the 'safe' mold and throw it out. Let's be the force known as the Church whose purpose is to love people and show them who Jesus is, no matter what. Let's take risks! Let's give up what's just plain 'safe.' Let's burn the boats and boldly go where no Church has gone before!