You are Invited

By: Gabriela Yareliz

“You are not meant to be a house cat. You were meant to be bold, adventurous and to chase something. You were meant to be a lion. Stop sitting around living in safety, comfort and fear. Stop being a house cat. Be the lion you are and go after the life you want.”

Jon Gordon

I had the incredible gift of seeing Jordan B. Peterson (the great JBP), live this week. It was surreal. His tour for his new book, We Who Wrestle With God, is exciting. He does an insightful review of sacred stories and the things we can gather from them.

Moses at the burning bush reminds us that our interests call to us, fire = life and transformation, and what draws us is often not superficial or chosen by us but the divine is trying to send us a message through it and it chooses us. God’s calling on Moses (who says he can’t speak) teaches us that when God calls, he doesn’t care what you feel you can or can’t do or what is uncomfortable. It doesn’t matter if you are introvert or extrovert or have a disability. JBP mentioned God calls us each to do what He asked Moses to do: stand up to tyranny, speak truth, and lead people out of slavery.

There was the story of Job, and the reminder that God is not oblivious to the fact that life is so deeply unjust. But Job did it right, and shows us the injustices don’t excuse our bitterness or anger. Instead, Job said he had faith no matter what. He was rewarded for that.

JBP discussed the story of Cain and Abel, and how both brothers represent the choice we are all faced with– will we choose bitterness and a murderous spirit and want to do it our way, expecting God to come groveling saying he was wrong (as Cain did) or will we be Abel and humbly give the sacrifice that is required (accepted by God)? Cain offered God a second rate sacrifice in his arrogance and was jealous of his brother who was accepted for giving all. His anger consumed him, and he became murderous. The story of mankind doesn’t change. That was his choice. That is our choice. What choice will we make? Will we dare to sacrifice?

JBP discussed sacrifice as the mark of true maturity because it means work. It means envisioning a future. A society that rejects this is a society in decline, and they pay the ultimate price as Cain did. Everything falls apart.

The story that most impressed me was the one of Abraham. Scripture is a giant book of stories that revolve around sacrifice and also, adventure. God calls us each to adventure, he said. Abraham was a wealthy old man in his tent and God called him to leave it all and to embark on a journey with him. It was a journey filled with sacrifice. Sacrifice transforms us little by little.

God told Abraham the secret to life– if you go on this adventure with me, if you sacrifice and allow yourself to be transformed, you will be blessed, you will bless those around you and your offspring will bless the world. JBP highlights that God extends the same invitation to us– he asks us to embark on an adventure, to sacrifice to the point of transformation, which requires humility, and the result of that will be blessings for us, for those around us and our offspring with bless the world.

I know for a fact that the invitation to adventure is true. God extends a wild ride beyond imagination to all who listen and stop and walk slowly toward whatever burning bush appears to us.

How do we embark in an adventure? The answer is always the same, sacrifice. By doing hard things. I was listening to Tony Robbins the other day, and he broke down the recipe for changing your life:

1. Feed your mind and strengthen it every day. There are times where we wonder how to prepare our mind for something better, greater, unseen. The answer is intentionally feeding your mind with growth and inspiration. Meeting God every morning. Almost everything around us is a device or path for mindrot and anxiety. But intetionally feeding your mind with good and challenge is key to shaping it and establishing new habits.
2. Feed and strengthen your body. When we shape our body, we do hard things.
3. Find a role model that reminds you that the worst times don’t last forever. Someone of character and mental and physical strength.
4. Take massive action. At some point, Abraham had to pack his boring tent and move if he was going to follow God’s invitation.
5. Give more than you expect to receive. Wild generosity is the only way to live. Cain was stingy and offered God second-rate offering. God rejects this and the reason why is because it destroys us. Giving reminds us to embrace gratitude and faith, rather than the opposite.

If misery comes knocking, and it always does, shut the door. Find your burning bush and walk up to it as Moses did. Accept the invitation and do the hard thing. Pack your tent. The men who walked with God became His friends. Little shifts lead to big results.

As Jon Gordon says (and as Abraham did) it’s time to stop living like a house cat. You are not only called to adventure, you were created to walk with God on that adventure. Anything less will leave you like Cain, fleeing, bitter and alone. Be the lion. The God of angel armies calls your name. He asks for all.