Caring part 1
They say sharing is caring, right? And if "they" don't... I sure do. I can't think of a better way most of the time to show someone you care than to give them what you've got. To share yourself with them. To lay your life down for a friend, if I can say it that way. And the coolest part--besides, you know, being able to meet a need a make someone's day--is that when you share something... you get to experience it. Why do you think we put such a premium, or such an emphasis, on doing things together? Eating meals together. Watching the game together. Basically, what I'm trying to say is: "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him" (Genesis 2:18). We're social creatures. Its hardwired into our DNA. We do better together than we ever could alone. Because the things I'm not good at might be the things you ARE good at. And vice versa. So while on my own there are things I just plain straight cannot do... together we can do anything. Its the idea of Jesus being altogether lovely... and all of us, as His body, being lovely all together. And I'm not saying we are lacking anything. I'm simply saying we were created the way we are for a reason. I'm the way I am. You're the way you are. We are connected... but we are different. And that's ok. That's the way its supposed to be. God doesn't want religious robots. He wants diversity. He wants uniqueness. He wants all of the colors of the rainbow, to put it in a way my six year old would understand it. And not only does He want you to be YOU... He wants you to SHARE yourself. To be you to the fullest. When we try to be someone we're not--to fit in, or to get something we think we haven't got, or for whatever reason--what we are really doing is robbing ourselves of the gift we've already been given. The gift of Jesus' abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life. The gift of a life of love. And just as only Jesus can live Jesus' life--He lives it in us, and through us, and as us--only YOU can live YOUR life. Only you can reach certain people. So when you're wondering why that extremely annoying person won't leave you alone... maybe you're supposed to love them. Because probably nobody else is. You're uniquely positioned, and suited, to share the love of God with them. That's why it always bothers me when people are like, "Don't cross oceans for people that won't cross a puddle for you!" No... cross the ocean. Because its not about what they do. Its not even about how they receive the love you give them. Its about sharing what you've got. And, again, such a beautiful byproduct of that is that when you share it... you experience it. If you want to feel love... love someone. If you want to feel forgiveness... forgive someone. Give what you've got, show someone you care, and believe me you'll feel it. That warm fuzzy feeling. That fully alive feeling. That, "I'm doing what I was created to do" feeling. Because you were created to be loved... and to love others with that love. That's what life's all about. That's what life IS. To live is to love and to love is to live. And sharing that love... sharing is caring!