Are you free of stuff?

"Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules . . .?" -- Col. 2:20

Nathan Barlow is my new hero.

I never met him, and he's gone on to be with the Lord. But, nonetheless, he's my new hero.

I just finished teaching Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Lanesville High School this morning, and we're wrapping up the book, "Crazy Love," by Francis Chan. In Chapter 9, Francis challenges the reader to live a life so consumed with Jesus that you don't have time for "stuff." One example? Nathan Barlow.

He was a doctor who spent most of his life in Ethiopia serving folks there who were stricken with mossy foot -- an ugly condition that causes swelling, ulcers and infection in the feet and lower legs. (Imagine those with leprosy in Biblical days and you're thinking on the right track.)

Once, Nathan had to leave the mission field to return to the States because of a very painful toothache. He told his dentist that he never wanted to leave the people of Ethiopia for something so minor again, so he had the dentist pull all his teeth and fit him for false ones. That's crazy!

And that's the point.

Are we so crazy in love with our Jesus that we are free from the "stuff" of this world that keeps us so self-centered and self-minded?

Are we willing to search our hearts -- and our closets! -- and give away all our clothes except the very necessities?

Are we willing to surrender our Christmas this year and use the money we would have spent on ourselves and others to transform a life for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Paul knew that the people of Colosse had been set free from the ways of the world in order to passionately follow King Jesus. But something happened that started to drain the life and vibrancy from the Colossians. It was called "stuff."

And it's still called "stuff" today.

Not all of us are called to give up our teeth in order to do the work of the Kingdom. But all of us are called to allow the Holy Spirit to take inventory of our lives in order to point out those things that are keeping us from being freely in love with and radically serving our Lord.

So . . . any Nathans out there?