Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Love

When was the last time you showed someone love (outside of your family)?  When I say ‘show someone love’ I mean instead of judgment or condemnation.  When was the last time you showed a complete stranger acceptance instead of making assumptions about who they are?
It’s human nature to see someone and immediately condemn them for what we see, even without knowing a thing about their story.  We so easily forget that we are all the way we are because of something.  Some person or some event made us who we are.  Perhaps it was not feeling loved by a parent, being abused by someone physically, emotionally or sexually, being made fun of for our weight or looks, a spouse that went out for milk and never came back, the passing of someone we loved deeply.  When was the last time you took any of that into account?
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of judgment and condemnation.  It’s also very easy to fall into the trap of gossip.  And, how quickly we feel hurt and betrayed when someone does it to us yet we can’t wait to get together with certain friends to get the dirt on other people. What do we gain by doing this?
An even better question would be:  What would the world be like if we all stopped judging each other and started loving each other instead?
Sure, people would think you were crazy but, so what?  I’m willing to bet you’d make someone’s day.  Imagine walking into DMV and greeting the person behind the desk with a great big smile and a “good morning!”  Or, the next time you’re with your “gossipy” friends—you know you have them—you ask them to stop gossiping or you politely opt out of the conversation because you’re uncomfortable with it.  Sure, at first they’ll probably judge you, too.  But, something else will happen.  You’ll have planted the seeds of what it’s like to do the right thing.  You’ll cause them to think about their actions and who they are.  This is called conviction.  When we get offended when someone calls us out, it’s most often because, deep down, we know we’re guilty and that’s a crummy feeling.  This conviction is just enough to cause a change, a ripple effect.  You can begin to change the world around you. 
I recently watched “The Bible” miniseries.  I was amazed by how the actor playing Jesus gave such an incredible visual of how Jesus loved.  The way He would look at people was amazing.  It was a love you could see and feel.  I’ve read it all in the Bible several times.  But to see it left me floored.  I would pause the TV just so I could stare at Him a little longer.  He looked people in the eye with love. 
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is when the woman is caught committing adultery and she’s brought into town to be stoned.  Jesus says that the first person who is without sin can cast the first stone.  Of course, everyone disappears.  Then he looks at the woman and tells her to go back to her life and sin no more.  There was no judgment, no condemnation; no “I can’t wait to have dinner with the Apostles tonight so I can tell them what she did”. 
Jesus, the only man who ever lived without committing a single sin, who could’ve so easily cast the first stone, said to the woman: 
“Then neither do I condemn you.  Go now and leave your life of sin.”  John 7:11
This is the beauty of following Him:  forgiveness, no condemnation for our sin.  Who are we to judge and condemn each other? 
I have a challenge for you.  This week, try to show someone love like Jesus did.  Maybe it’s a waitress that’s less than pleasant while you’re out to eat, or praying for someone instead of judging them and talking about them. I think you’ll be surprised by the response you get and how you get treated in return.  You’ll also feel better about yourself.
Just remember, everyone has a story.  And, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we’re called to love one another. 
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. —John 13:34-35

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Hole


Do you ever have a feeling inside you, a void perhaps, that, no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to fill?  You know what I’m talking about, that emptiness, that feeling of not quite being 100% happy.  Or, maybe you’re happy around others but when you’re alone you just feel crummy? 

So, you drink, do drugs, take some prescription pills, shop, eat, have sex.  You may do some of these things or all of them.  And, while you’re doing them and shortly after, you feel great, euphoric even. I know because I’ve been there.  But what happens when you wake up the day after?  Or, a few days later?  Let me guess, you go out and do more of it, right?  Pop a few more Xanax, drink a little more, try some more of your friend’s pot or other drugs, throw caution to the wind and hook up with that guy or girl at the club. 

Now, what if I told you I had the perfect solution for you.  The answer to what you’re searching for and longing for.  Many of you may tell me to bottle it and sell it because I’d make millions.  I’m sure I’d catch your attention if I told you I could offer it to you for nothing, free, zip, zilch, nada.  You’d stop and listen then, no?  Well, I have that solution.  It’s so simple, many won’t believe me.  Are you ready for it?

God. 

One word, one being, one solution.  Don’t tune out, stay with me.  Let me tell you the story that changed my life, changed me as a woman, a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend.

I’m very blessed to have a lot of wonderful people in my life.  There’s one woman in particular that has offered me a lot of guidance.  Her name is Michelle.  She’s an incredible woman and I am so much better for knowing her.  She told me the story of the “God shaped hole” one day and I was blown away.  Suddenly, everything made sense and nothing was the same after that. 

You see, we're all born with a God shaped hole inside.  We try to fill this hole with all sorts of stuff, sex, drugs, alcohol, spending money, whatever.  It works for a little while, but since what we’ve stuffed in there isn’t the right shape, it ends up slipping through the hole and we end up feeling empty again.  So, what do we do?  We have more sex, do more drugs, drink more, spend more and end up empty every time.  On top of that, people in our lives start to recognize the path we’re on and they get onto us.  Then, we end up feeling emptiness, anger and anxiety all together.  Not a good place to be. 

All this until, one day, if we know enough to do it, we turn to our creator.  He put this hole in us.  He put this thirst in us.  A hole that’ll never be filled, a thirst that will never be quenched until we submit to Him and give ourselves over to Him. 

Wow, that’s quite a statement, submit and give ourselves over.  I’m probably about to lose a bunch of you right now.  But again, I’m going to ask you to stay with me because there’s something very important you need to know about salvation and being reborn in Christ.  Are you ready for it?

You don’t have to give anything up. 

But you will gain everything.  Imagine waking up every morning with a feeling of peace and happiness inside.  True peace and true happiness, a feeling of fulfillment, lacking nothing.  An overwhelming feeling of being loved and taken care of.  An overwhelming feeling of hope.  When was the last time you felt that?

Imagine no longer needing to drink so much you black out, no longer needing to sleep around, no longer needing to pop a bunch of Xanax or smoke anything.  Doesn’t that sound exciting?  It probably also sounds unbelievable to some.  But, it’s true.  Once that God shaped hole gets filled with Him, the emptiness is gone.  He doesn’t slip through the hole like everything else did. 

So many people have this preconceived notion of what being reborn is.  I have what I like to call “my cup runneth over” moments.  I get so overwhelmed with the joy and peace I have inside me now that I don’t know what to do with myself.  When you become reborn, you don’t give anything up.  You will want to change the way you live because you’ll recognize that your old life just wasn’t good enough.  

You will no longer want for anything but Him.  You’ll see people differently. You’ll see situations differently.  You’ll see yourself differently.  And, the best part is, you’ll like what you see. 
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.— John 6:35 

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.— John 7:37