Why Would You Do That? More “What If” Thinking

Why would you do that?

More than once I have been asked that question in my life? Here are a few of the recent ones…

Why would you move to Keene?
Why would you start an online paper?
Why would you live there?

Some of the ones I heard before…

Why would you start an internet company? (1995-what’s the internet?)
Why would you believe in grace?
Why would you follow Christ?

Why would you do that? I know many have been asked that over their lives.

Asked of Thomas Edison-“Light bulbs? You do know there is kerosene.
Asked Alexander Graham Bell-“People will not see people? That does not seem right?
Asked of Jesus-YOU ARE GOING TO DO WHAT?” (Peter)

Through out history people have got an idea, a direction, a thought and moved on it. Sometimes at the cost of friends, family and even, life.

And then the group of people who let fear distract them. Move them off the track of destiny. Deceptions, lies, excuses. They all keep us from our rightful place.

I understand that because, I have accomplished things that others have not. At the same time I have failed because I believed something different and did not engage. I also realize not every time will be a home run nor will they all be strike outs.

When I decided to engage in the internet in 1995, I knew nothing about computers. Less about AOL and lots about people. No one knew what the internet was and yet with help we started a company dedicated to letting people know about Vermont through a vehicle called the internet. The world wide web. It was harder to show unbelieving people that folks in Europe would use it and talk to you than it was to program.

I have come to realize that I am more inclined to take on something no one else is doing than do something that others are already doing.

We are in a tremendous season of “why would you do that?” There is an answer. Because it is there! It is somewhat like the “bear went over the mountain to see what he could see”. Why? Because he could! To not see what can happen is the result of a culture that needs to be changed. We have become so “safe” that we have forgotten how to pioneer. How to meet challenges. We have allowed things to conform us. Education is one of those areas. (The greatest mountain to be over taken in the coming years is that of education. All the others will begin to change if we pioneer and take this mountain. Do not fluff it off as “been there done that”.) The church has been another one but I see us learning to value diversity as a byproduct of true unity. We have learned the value of freedom and we are walking it out by the power of grace.

So, here is the next big question. Why wouldn’t you do that? Why would you not believe for the best? Instead of “what if it does not work” what about embracing the thought of “what if it does”? What if we were to shift our thinking for even a 24 hour period? Here are some possibles…

What if they get healed? (Always ramifications on that one. “Did you really? Are you sure? What about your disability?”)
What if they aren’t dead? (There goes my inheritance!)
What if I do get the job?
What if I do start that business?

I break off the power of fear that has gripped so many today. I remove the “sky is falling” Chicken Little thinking. (Just look at your Facebook news thread and think how many are “anti-Christ” in their fear, gossip and ignorance.) What if for 24 hours we were truly the people of joy, believing on Him for healing that was paid for, promises He always keeps? What if we refused to fill our Twitter and Facebook with negativity and faithlessness? What if we really were people of the second chance? People of faith? People of love? Grace? Would the world notice? I think so.