Contagious

The other day we were at the pool when a little girl and her dad came in. My wife told her she really liked her bathing suit. We learned her name was Lauren, that she was three years old and that she likes to sing. We continued to get to know Lauren and her dad when another father and daughter joined us. The new girl was around ten years old and before any of the rest of us could greet them, Lauren told her she really liked her bathing suit. Doing unto others…

Difficult

We all have people in our lives that are difficult to love, maybe even hard to like, they zig when we zag and we can’t seem to ever be on the same page. The reasons are varied but if you dig deep enough you’ll usually find insecurity at the root and it’s typical to find incompatible insecurity on both sides of the rub. These relationships can be the ones that miracles are found in. As we get closer to God, become more like Him, our compassion for those that are different or difficult increases. We get better at seeing the wonderful things about people; we recognize the weaknesses in others as being not different than our own and our hearts change. I’ve seen these types of relationships become some of the richest.

That’s Not Enough

Another thing we hear often is “That’s not enough.” Or “You need to do more.” Rest assured, it’s not God saying that to you. His feelings for you are contingent on nothing. His love for you can’t be earned or increased and the same goes for His liking you. It’s true that we are faced with decisions each and everyday that are pleasing to God or displeasing to Him. But the reason He cares what we do is not for His benefit but ours. Because of how He feels for us He always wants what’s best and when we make choices that are harmful to others, or ourselves He is grieved for us not disappointed because we harmed Him or because He expected better.

Then

Then we can see God’s power working in us and through us. And what will be seen is love. Love is the anti self. I would define love as when you care more about someone than you do yourself. Jesus says love is the first and only commandment that all the law and prophets hang on this one thing. Love by nature is sacrificial. Christ’s example of love was sacrifice. Scripture says we are to die to self. When we come to understand this simple truth the results are astounding. Not only do we join God in changing the world, we are changed into His likeness and the futile pursuit of emptiness is replaced with the peace and fulfillment that only a life with Him can bring.