Manya Sklodowska was born in 1867 in Poland. She, being the youngest of six, had a hard childhood when her mother died of tuberculosis. Manya and her sister Bronya grew up together. With a little help, Bronya and Manya finished their education. She married a French scientist named Pierre Curie and changed her name to Marie Curie. Together the two scientists made a great discovery before tragedy happened. Marie and Pierre, in their little wooden shed in France, isolated something called pitch blend. They found one element that would be the key to their success. Now they wanted to try to take a bit of the element out of the pitch blend to study on its own. To complete the task of isolation, Marie stirred pitch blend in a large pot while Pierre analyzed the element. In 1902 Marie and Pierre decided to go to the shed, not to work but just to check to see if the isolation was going okay. They reached the shed at the perfect time. On arrival they saw a beautiful blue light shining through the door...RADIUM! Radium was used some years ago and now. It was used for a variety of purposes; treating cancer, an ingredient for fluorescent paint used for dials on things like watches, now radium has been replaced for better, safer medical uses. Marie & Pierre were shaped into whop they had become. Who they had become were people with a revolutionary and innovative thought. They now paved the road up to us today, and it is now time for us to continue to pave this road in all we do and everywhere we go.
Hear the Good News, Christ calls us to a life of revolution and innovation. Christ's ministry and
teaching, His life, was one of revolution and innovation. He changed so much of our thought
and understanding of God and God's relationship with us. Moreover, Jesus, through His life,
death and resurrection offers to us the way to connect with God. Mary, it would seem, was
able to truly understand this revolution Jesus brought, so that particular evening, she gave
something back to Him. The Disciples were to learn that lesson a little later. It was that
fateful night, during supper, he took off "His outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.
Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with
the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, Lord, are you
going to wash my feet? Jesus answered, You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will
understand.
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to
them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord and you are right, for
that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to
wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done
to you."
This is a Call to us to be revolutionary in all we are about. More specifically, our call is
to be revolutionary in our relationships. We are called to life changing-covenantal
relationships with others, with God, with ourselves. The words to the church in
Philippi (2:1-2), "If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made
any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you,
if you have a heart, if you care - then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other,
be deep-spirited friends. Secondly, we are to be revolutionary and innovative in our
ministries. We must be willing to reach the world, anyone and everyone, with what you have.
We are to reach out to the "Gentiles" of the world, modeling the ministry of Paul and Stephen,
in a creative way, similar to the approach of Mel Gibson’s movie. Think about it, more people
who have been disconnected to the church, have gone to see the movie than visit a church in
the past 5 years. Finally, we must be revolutionary and innovative in our thought. We have
to be open to God's transforming power in our lives, allowing God to change us, instead of
thinking we already have all the answers. The similarities between the Revolutionaries and
innovative thinkers and doers are they all began to think outside of the constraints which
surround their own thought, beyond self imposed parameters and limits and began to listen to
what was being said, being done and what was not being said and done. As they stepped beyond
the limitations, they responded to the possibilities and the opportunities, their call. Having
an open mind to what God would have you do is key to being a part of the Christ Revolution.
We are at a point in life and society where we must make a stand somewhere. We are at a point
when we must search our hearts and ask ourselves:
 | if we have life-changing covenantal relationships or do we just have convenient contracts, |
| are we willing to reach the world, anyone and everyone with what you have or just those who are like us |
|
do we have a revolutionary thought, being open to God's transforming power in our lives,
allowing God to change us, or do we already have all the answers. |