Acknowledge Them part 5
"I hear you." Its a phrase that seems kind of small, but it really isn't. "I understand." Two words that can take someone from feeling utterly alone to completely connected. Or, here's one, "You have my undivided attention." That's powerful. Especially in this day and age of extreme distraction. Putting your phone down and looking someone in the eyes... that really means something. Its about acknowledging people. Validating them. Or, as we saw the other day in Romans 15:7, "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God." Receiving people. Not as we wish they were, but as they are. As they REALLY are. The Christ in me receiving the Christ in you. The light in me responding to the light in you. The deep calling out to the deep. And remembering that we're all just people. We all make mistakes. If never making a mistake is the definition of "perfect" then ain't none of us perfect. For the record, that's NOT how I define perfection. But what I'm saying is... we're all in this together. Going through the same things. Learning and growing. Maybe at different speeds. We might all be running the same race, but that doesn't mean we're on the same lap. So we need to give grace to each other. To let people be who they are. And let people be WHERE they are. Meeting people where they're at. Giving people what they need. Giving people what we've got. And what they need... is love. What we've got... is love. Love means love feast. It satisfies the appetite. Think about it. If you go to a feast--a straight up and down feast--there's something for everybody. No matter what you're in the mood for, you can find it. No matter what someone needs, you can meet their need. And, listen, I'm not saying you have to be able to reach everybody. I know I'm not for everybody. That's ok. I'm simply saying that when you love someone, you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. Sometimes people won't pick up what you're laying down. Sometimes they're not ready to hear what you have to say. That's ok. Loving people is not about you. Its about them. Love is giving. Never getting. So just do your best to have empathy. To see where they're coming from. To receive them as Christ also received us; with open arms. Jesus literally had open arms on the cross. He was lifted up from the earth and He drew all men into Himself. Planted Himself in all men. Brought us together and got rid of even the idea of separation between God and men. Because God lives IN men. LOVE lives in US. So all we have to do in order to acknowledge people... is love them. Let the love that's already inside us come out as we fill ourselves to overflowing with what we've already been filled with. Let God love us so big and so strong that we can't contain it. And then give it away. Share it. A feast isn't just for one person. Its for all people. Especially this feast. The love feast. Breaking bread with someone is one of (if not THE) best ways to acknowledge them. To connect with them. To let them know you care. And that's what people need. That's what they respond to. They need to know someone cares. They need to know someone loves them!