Radical Obedience...

I (Daniel) will confess: I love NAC. Really. That sounds like the punchline for a "You Might Be a Pastor/Bible-Nerd If..." Here's My Sign, I guess.

After a service of praise and worship and great preaching, the interactions with friends old and new, I was already on Cloud Nine.

But then it was that time again...the time every summer for the past several that I look forward to so that I can "get my blessing," or find complete Rest and get re-charged: The Heritage Hymn Sing.

It's always such a wonderful time to gather with hundreds+ of (mostly) old folks singing cherished hymns of faith and listening to guys like Arlo Newell tell tales of bygone heroes, men and women of CHOG renown. But this year I actually missed part of it. But it was worth it to see God move.

A friend, who shall remain nameless, aside from the description of being "a poor college kid," came in and tapped me on the shoulder. He saw me and wanted to say "hi" and congratulations on the due-any-week-now baby. Knowing that he would be quite excited to hear about the other big piece of news in our lives, I jumped up and took him outside to talk for a few minutes.

I quickly filled him in on what God was doing and where we were at with it all.

And then he did something I could not have expected.

We talked for a moment about how Hector Gonzalez had spoken of surrendering 100% to Christ, not 50%, not 99%, but 100%.

And he told me how he was learning to do that.

He told me that he felt God telling him to give me whatever was in his wallet to go towards our fund-raising.

And then he opened his wallet and pulled out a wad of cash and put it in my hand.

I quickly shoved it in my pocket and told him that I couldn't even look at it now or count it, or I'd start crying. But I knew that God would bless him beyond all measure for his obedience.

I didn't know the amount, and that's irrelevant. The point is he gave all he had, not because it was some magical amount that "we needed," and not because it was some magical amount that would qualify him to be described as an Elite level of supporter. He gave it all because that is what his Lord directed him to do.

I love when Followers of Christ actually follow Christ. It's so refreshing. Even when it doesn't make sense.

That one act of radical obedience was more than enough to encourage me and send me back out into the world. All from a poor college kid. Maybe my friend, Justin Wallace, is right: "If we're going to change the world it has to start with the college campus."

Anyway, long-story short, I just got home and counted it. Unbelievable. For a poor college kid, working his tail off to pay for school, this was certainly more than just a "widow's mite."

God bless my friend, and all, who actually practice Radical Obedience.