When you hear the words "free radicals" we tend to think of the damaging elements to our bodies from cell destruction.
I would like to offer an alternate concept.
According to VeryWellHealth.com " Free radicals are highly reactive and unstable molecules that are made by the body naturally as a byproduct of normal metabolism. Free radicals can also be made by the body after exposure to toxins in the environment such as tobacco smoke and ultraviolet (UV) light."
These free radicals are known to cause cancer and attack the body and bring destruction.
However, as I said before (you know up above) I want to look at it in a different context.
Let us explore it!
What if we looked at it from the stand point of being a force of physical and spiritual alteration to a society without Christ? And to be a positive affect on those who do.
Jesus brought a new way. He manifested a new concept to an old law of understanding. He altered every place he entered. He healed, He created miracles, He loved the downcast, the outcast and the low cast. (do you like that word play?) He extended mercy, grace and forgiveness to all around him. Living to willingly die. But to not stay dead. He broke the natural law - he is miracle personified.
When Christ returned to heaven following his resurrection, he gave guidance to his followers.
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV .
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The Disciples did as he said, they dispersed the Good News across the known world. Many died doing what he asked of them. As they followed his directions they altered the culture in dynamic and powerful ways. People had never experienced what they brought. It was an unknown to them and an instability to their known lifestyle and belief system.
Instability breeds fear.
They feared the unknown.
They feared the new.
They feared the loss of control over others.
They feared..........
The book of Acts is a documentation of the start of the church, the acts of the apostles and the working of the Holy Spirit. They shared the Good News of Christ to the known world. But, as it is today, it is, as it was yesterday. People have a hard time understanding and accepting the good news of Jesus.
Let us read what happened, as Paul & Silas continued their new assignment from heaven to share Christ.
Matthew 17:2-7 NKJ version
2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. 7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.”
They literally became FREE RADICALS in society. But not in the way of science, in the way of faith. They became free of the destruction of sin and they operated free in Jesus. They were considered radical, after all they were referred to as being 'the ones who have turned the world upside down!'
DictionaryData from Oxford Languages gives a definition of Radical.
rad·i·cal [ˈradək(ə)l
ADJECTIVE
(especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough:
advocating or based on thorough or complete political or social change; representing or supporting an extreme or progressive section of a political party:
NOUN
a person who advocates thorough or complete political or social reform; a member of a political party or part of a party pursuing such aims.
To turn the world upside down means someone's entire viewpoint, circumstances, situations or lifestyle is rearranged or altered by an action brought. (O.K.- another side note. The world is round, so how can it be turned upside down? Just being silly.)
BEING RADICAL DOES NOT HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED A NEGATIVE.
We are FREE from the law of sin and death.
We live to bring change and reform in the lives of people by sharing Jesus with them.
So, therefore......we are FREE RADICALS!
Be willing to change the world, by turning it upside down!
Be a FREE RADICAL!