It's a BIG Target

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Jesus Mark 16:15

This is one of the very first cartoons I remember as a kid... Crusader Rabbit... and his pal Rags. This may even be the very first Crusader Rabbit episode. Crusader Rabbit's fellow rabbits are in danger- it's much too big a job to do alone -he searches for someone to join the cause, finds Rags, shares his mission and a great part of my childhood was born.

Crusader Rabbit wasn't particularly heroic- on the small side with no special powers... and Rags... well let's just say Rags needed a little help to appear anything close to the ferocious lion he was portrayed to be by the circus. Together, they made quite a team and always managed to get the job done.

Jesus gave His church a BIG job... go into the whole world and love everybody. It's a great life mission statement... love everybody. He also gave us a huge target- the whole world; how could we go wrong? Pretty big target to miss.

We were each created with one target in mind- the whole world, "all the nations." Tragic how quickly we get off track and fall short of the mark when all we have to do to hit the target is walk out the front door, ready to serve Him and love everybody. Our problem's not the target- no one, not even you or me could miss the entire planet, we hit it with every foot fall. Give's new meaning to the scriptures: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..." That's anyone walking out the door ready to love everybody and serve in His Name. It start's when our feet hit the floor.

While writing this morning I heard a mockingbird screeching in the neighbor’s tree. I walked to the open door and stood at the screen looking out at the apparently irritated bird- suddenly he flew straight at me and landed atop a chair on our patio just feet from me. I began to talk to him- he continued to screech loudly, then jumped to the ground -where I noticed a caterpillar, quietly making his way across our porch. The scenario became clear- the bird was out for breakfast. But I was standing just a foot or two from it all, and chatting to the bird on the hunt... certain it would come no closer... then it jumped to the ground, stepped within inches of my feet, snapped up the innocent butterfly never to be in its beak, and flew away. A simple event that occurs millions of times a day around the world, but suddenly I was in the midst of it all, taking in a thousand lessons in the moment.

To eat, this bird had to have keen eyes- the screeching meant something I'm sure -then it had to come closer to a human then it'd possibly ever come, risking it all for the days survival. It was a tiny target from a great distance with huge risk- but a bunch of little birds may have depended on it.

Too often we turn our faith walk into an equally challenging task. Jesus sent us to "all nations" the whole world... He knew we needed a BIG target and he gave us one... he wanted us to succeed... He wants us to succeed even still.

The "church" has gotten off track too many times in pursuit of serving the call of Christ. The crusades being only one of many glaring examples. Christ calls to us to love everybody, to serve in His Name... right out our own front door... then as we grow and mature in Him... through every door He opens. Our faith, our calling, His church is an "open door, that no one can shut."

It's easy to relate to the caterpillar- dreaming of becoming a butterfly -only to get snatched up before we make our way across the porch. Most days I feel like Crusader Rabbit- a HUGE task with no special powers to get the job done... other days I feel like his pal Rags: not nearly as powerful as people imagine me to be for as big a task as God's given us. Then I remind myself- it's a BIG TARGET -God wants me to succeed. My journey in Him begins when my feet hit the floor.

Pondering life- the lesson of my mockingbird and the worm -writing this journal entry, I decided to buy another domain name: www.bigtarget.org. I'm pretty certain God's got something great to do with it... my job today was to take the first step. God's got great things for your life- it's a big target- no worries about failure... get out there and do something good for him. When you're feeling more like the caterpillar then the mockingbird, hum the theme song to Crusader Rabbit and you'll feel your spirits soar!

blessings,

Eric