"Radical"
It's a word that some of us may have thought died away with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles until it began to define things like "radical" terrorists and "radical" terrorism. From the two examples I've given, it is clear that in recent years, the word "radical" has often times been used to express something with a negative connotation. However, being radical is not a bad thing by any means. Being radical means making a difference and advocating change so much so that people can't help but take notice, and people will either fear you or be inspired by you depending on how you present yourself. It means actually doing something and not just talking about it.
A small group of radical people is often times what defines an entire movement, religion, or even nation--even if only a few individuals are actually radical. Society can't define radical people, but a group of radical people can shake an entire society. Radical means being so sure of what you believe and having such a strong foundation that rather than being shaken yourself, your mere beliefs and faith shakes that of others. It means standing out far too much to ever be considered normal and sometimes even being rejected by people that practice and conform to whatever "normality" is.
Most of all, radical means change--not just a small change, though. It means a change that is so immense, it affects the very fundamental nature of something or someone. It is far-reaching and thorough, meaning it changes everything about someone or something so drastically that other people begin to take notice and ask questions. Radical means not being docile and compliant but rather standing up for what you believe and not conforming or changing your mind to fit inside the box the world tries to make your home.
It means nothing can make you stop adamantly chasing after, believing in, and living for the God that has proven time and time again His love for us all.
It's easy to see how the word "radical" can be used to describe something negative; however, I believe it's high time that a group of radical Christians, who love God more than anything this world could ever offer, rise up and proclaim the Gospel without fear of persecution. It's time to stop keeping quiet and letting society tread all over us. It's time to allow the love of God to flow through us and not let anything hold us back. You believe that Christ died for our sins and has risen from the dead? Good. Tell someone. God has changed your life and saved you? Awesome. Help somebody--someone out there needs to hear that God loves them, too. You believe everything the Bible says? Great. Do something about it. People are out there suffering, and we've been given a gift that's far too great to keep to ourselves. Tell someone how much God loves them, and stop being afraid of whether or not they accept it. Be radical and stand out. Don't let anything stop you from doing what you know is right any longer.
