Daily Post: Caper
No one who knows me well would label me a “thrill seeker.” I’m not into spelunking, volcano boarding, zapcat powerboating, bungy jumping, or rollercoasters. These are not capers which interest me. If you want to run with the bulls, kayak over Niagara Falls, go whitewater rafting, or swim with the sharks, you’ll have to find another partner. All these fearsome activities are in the top 25 of an article aptly titled, “50 of the most thrilling, daring things you can do on vacation.” Just let me play golf everyday of my vacation and I’m beyond thrilled.
BASE jumping is an acronym defining four categories of fixed locations from which a person can jump, using a parachute to break their fall. These include: buildings, antennas, spans (bridges), and earth (cliffs). It boggles my mind that someone would actually choose to do this on purpose. Not to be coy, but really, who wants to go to Toronto, to the CN Tower EdgeWalk (image above)? 116 storeys above the ground you will be tethered to the wall in such a way that allows you to walk around the building on a 1.5 meter-wide ledge, which takes most people about 30 minutes. This caper would take me days to complete, if you could get me on the ledge at all. Put me on a putting green, with my feet planted firmly on terra firma any day.
For all you adrenalin junkies out there, here’s one last caper you may not have heard of yet. It’s called Extreme Ironing. EI is a combination activity and performance art of sorts. People take an ironing board to an extreme location and proceed to iron (I promise, I’m not making this up. Check out this link: Extreme Ironing) What began in 1997 in the UK is apparently an actual worldwide activity today. I just don’t get it.
Why do people do these things? What causes a person to get out of bed in the morning and think, “what can I do today to cheat death?” Perhaps the simplest answer is in the sense that this person wants to “feel” alive. Maybe without the adrenalin rush that comes with extremely dangerous activities, they continually feel nothing. Then I suggest it isn’t so much about “feeling” as it is about consciousness.
Woven deep within the human DNA is the need to have a sense of purpose, a reason for living. Since we were designed by a Creator who does everything intentionally, the primary design characteristic of the human species, was to live our lives in such a way that we bring ultimate glory to God. I’m just not clear on how the activities I’ve discussed so far accomplish this design goal. Not only that, but if just obtaining the rush that comes from cheating death is all that is required, why does it have to be repeated constantly to “feel” alive?
No, this pursuit can only be explained one way. The exciting escapade that brings real meaning and purpose in life is one that takes extreme courage. The caper that allows a person to finally and completely feel alive, because they actually are alive, is one that scares the living daylights out of many people. The way to finally gain that sense of purpose that all thrill seekers pursue, is to take one simple step. The step of faith. The committed, intentional, purposeful step of surrendering your heart and life to Jesus Christ as savior.
The only object to be pursued, that will fill that empty spot inside your soul, is the presence of God’s Holy Spirit, which Jesus puts into you as His seal of salvation. Now that is an exiting escapade!
2 Corinthians 1:20-22
For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
Want an inexplicably exciting, death defying escapade?
Give your life to Jesus!
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As I was saying... 