Call it freaky, or strange coincidence but I was reading a book this morning and I ran across another one of Jim Elliot's quotes. (Please, no eye rolling, or moaning sighs. Hear me out.)
He said,
"I seek not a long life but a full one, like Yours, Lord Jesus."
As you may know Jim Elliot died at a very young age, (in his twenties, I believe.) he and his wife were missionaries to the Auca Indians in Ecuador. Though the life of Jim Elliot was short, it was full. His life has been a challenge to many, many, Christians. If you've read or heard anything about Jim Elliot you'll know that he was not a sideline Christian. Even in his high-school years he was incredibly focused on serving God. He didn't want a casual, surface-level relationship with Jesus Christ, he wanted to make Christ the very center of his life. He wanted Jesus Christ to define his life, to define who he was.
Every since I read a biography of Jim Elliot, I've been challenged and intimidated by his dedication to living for God with everything he had. (Yes, being intimidated isn't always a bad thing.) He wanted to live for God 100%. I imagine Jim Elliot was an all in or all out kind of guy.
A lot of Jim Elliot's quotes make you stop and re-evaluate your priorities, and how you live your life. Really, would I have the guts to pick a full life over a long one? If I were to have the focus and dedication of Jim Elliot how different would my life look?
Because seriously, I shouldn't be satisfied with just living a "good" life. Or squeezing by living half-heartedly for God. I shouldn't be satisfied until I'm giving 100% of my energy to living for Him. As you know, that isn't always easy; in fact it's never easy.
Have you ever heard people say, "The more you put into something the more you're going to get out of it."?
(I'm sorry, I know, I've really got to stop it with the cliches.) But it's true. If I'm only living for God with a portion of my life, I' never going to receive His best for me. In order for me to have all He has for me, I have to give Him all I have.
I am not satisfied with a half-full Christian life. And I am not satisfied with Jesus Christ only being a side-note in my life. It's time to jump in with both feet; all or nothing.
I admit I'm no Jim Elliot, but I want to be. That's what we all truly want. Because, really, who wouldn't trade a long life for a full one?
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I am not satisfied with a half-full Christian life. And I am not satisfied with Jesus Christ only being a side-note in my life. It's time to jump in with both feet; all or nothing.
I admit I'm no Jim Elliot, but I want to be. That's what we all truly want. Because, really, who wouldn't trade a long life for a full one?
