Christian Living

---

Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday July 13, 2010

As I listen to CD's, read books, I am amazed at how our language has changed over the years of my brief life. For instance, "You can't get to second with one foot on first" became, "You must be willing to leave your comfort zone." These and others simply meant that without risk there can be no progress. I will share a comment from Jesus with you near the end of this piece, but for now here is one from John D. Rockefeller:

"Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great."

Vast libraries, rivaling Alexandria, could be filled with the accomplishments of men who only touched the hem of the garment of what they could have been, had they been unafraid to "give up the good to achieve the great."

As a counselor to many men and women of God, I have over the years been party to concern and prayers as to whether or not they should accept a truly great challenge. In a few cases challenges I would have "given me arm" for. Yet some good thing held them back. And the good thing held them tighter than the Siren's Song in the "Odyssey." In order to move from the good to the great it was necessary to break the chains of good. Many who have successfully torn the chains of a bad habit or addiction asunder utterly fail to let go of the good and go on to God's best. I find this strange.

Many are the men who are married to a region, a "tent" making sideline, close proximity to loved ones and friends, all of which are good, but just not quite the peak of the mountain.

The idea of leaving the good for the greater is taught all through the Bible. Abraham is a great example of a man who had it made in the Land of the Chaldea's, now Iraq, and yet he responded to the call of God to an as then unknown greatness and left it all to follow God. Jesus made the same demands upon His disciples, as when he called Peter from his fishing fleet to begin catching men. Paul was a high ranking muckity muck in the leadership of Israel. He left all and counted this as nothing as he went on to be martyred as a great one in God's kingdom.

The principle holds in whatever field you have chosen. You cannot proceed without risk, you must NOT "Be afraid to give up the good to go for the great."

As His disciples sat in shallow comfort close to shore Jesus said: Luke 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE