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Whenever Did Jesus Say—Just Agree with Me

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[quote cite=”Bob Goff”]Whenever did Jesus say to his disciples—Just agree with me?[/quote]

Bob goes on to say, “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let’s go do stuff, love people, etc.'”. I think we over-complicate life as Christians. We recoil from terms like “radical” and “on-fire”. Maybe it’s because we fear failure; or we think we can’t live up to the standard we or others set for ourselves. Instead, we settle into a safe, comfortable lifestyle of attending meetings and acquiring knowledge.

Photo Credit: Steve @ the alligator farm via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: Steve @ the alligator farm via Compfight cc

I recently began reading Bob’s book—Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World. I like this quote from the book:

[quote cite=”Bob Goff, Love Does”]I don’t think anyone aims to be typical, really. Most people even vow to themselves some time in high school or college not to be typical. But still, they just kind of loop back to it somehow. Like the circular rails of a train at an amusement park, the scripts we know offer a brand of security, of predictability, of safety for us. But the problem is, they only take us where we’ve already been. They loop us back to places where everyone can easily go, not necessarily where we were made to go. Living a different kind of life takes some guts and grit and a new way of seeing things.[/quote]

I admit that I often feel the tug back to a familiar script for the sake of security. Yet, I dislike, no, it’s more of a fear that I will grow bored of an overly scripted life. Sure predictability brings me a level of comfort. But, for me, it also brings a level of contempt that begs the question, “Is this all there is to life?”.

I am sure many of you think or feel the same way.

I am not writing another article about how we need to live radical lives, because I know many of you shut down when you hear that word. However, I encourage, along with Bob Goff, that we not settle for an ordinary life. I agree with him as he says…”(predictable life scripts) loop us back to where everyone can easily go, not necessarily where we were made to go.”

I am going to stop and invite you to enjoy some more quotes from his book Love Does:

[quote]I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.[/quote] [quote]You don’t need a plan; you just need to be present.[/quote] [quote]I used to think you had to be special for God to use you, but now I know you simply need to say yes.[/quote] [quote]I want to go barefoot because it’s holy ground; I want to be running because time is short and none of us has as much runway as we think we do; and I want it to be a fight because that’s where we can make a difference. That’s what love does.[/quote] [quote]I wasn’t a project; I was his friend.[/quote] [quote]It’s in my nature, maybe all of our natures, to try to engineer things. So I skew the answers to get what I think I want.[/quote] [quote]That’s because love is never stationary. In the end, love doesn’t just keep thinking about it or keep planning for it. Simply put: love does.[/quote]

I could keep going, but if these resonate with you, I encourage you to read Love Does.

For me, Bob restates that God is not looking for me or you to be extra-ordinary. He simply wants us to be our ordinary selves fully in love and engaged with Him. The results that come out of that might seem radical or extra-ordinary to some, but really…they aren’t.

What are some practical ways you  can live a life of  “Love Does”?

About the Author

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I am a longtime Austinite. Married my beautiful wife over 35 years ago. Adopted our son September 2012.
As a small business and nonprofit coach/consultant, I have found my sweet spot. I lean on my varied background of corporate, small business ownership, writing, and pastoring as I work to help small business owners and nonprofit founders build the business they want to have.


  • I’ve ordered the book; sounds like a good read. It’s a little off-topic, but your statement “Whenever Did Jesus Say- Just Agree with Me” reminds me of what the wonderful pastor of a church I attended in Austin in the early 90s said during a sermon: “No one said you have to park your brain at the door when you come into the sanctuary”.

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