Location. Location. Location.

My Grandpa always told me that the three most important things to consider when buying a house are 1. Location. 2. Location. 3. Location.  I think he is right, but people have different opinions of what location is important.  Do I want to make sure that the location. . . is not in the “bad” part of town?  . . .is in a “good” school system?  . . . will increase in value because it is a prime location spot?  Do I want to live. . . on a hill or mountain?  . . . near family, or away from family. . .where there are lots of things “to do”?   . . . in the middle of nowhere?  . . .with a big yard?  . . . by the ocean, or on a lake?  Oftentimes it seems that we choose the location of our homes solely based on our selfishness.  Could it be that there is Biblical Support for a theology of Location, or does location have nothing to do with Jesus Christ? 

“And the Word became flesh and pitched his tent in our neighborhood.”  Jesus thought location important too.  He left the best part of the universe, the best school system, the most prime real estate to live in a dark valley away from his Father.  He alone could offer the complaint with sincerity, “There is nothing to do here.”  He came to the bad part of the universe for us and was killed, and yet it seems that our main objective at times is to not move to the bad part of the world and be killed. 

You may think that I am tooting my own horn, since I live in the bad part of town, and lived in Africa.  But have I really risked anything at all?  What about Burma?  North Korea?  Afghanistan?  Somalia?  Who is going there?  You may say, “Oh, you can’t gothere!  They won’t let you!  They would kill you!”   If The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, can’t I go somewhere for the sake of the gospel, even if it means finding a way, and dying.  Jesus found a way to come and die, and yet we are always avoiding any risk of death.

Will my kids say, “Yeah, Dad always wanted to protect us, he made sure nothing happened to us. . . but he never really had anything he was willing to risk his life for, and he taught us to be safe, and to never risk our life for anything.  He taught us to walk away from the cross.”  I do not want my kids to say that. 

Maybe this post offends you.  Maybe it will be my kids who teach me this idea of Location when they go to Burma, North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia to pour out their lives for the gospel.  What a waste. . . . if they do not pour out their lives for the gospel, even unto death.