Caring part 5
Sharing is caring. Sharing yourself--giving everything you have and everything you are--is love. And the best part is... when you share... you also get to experience what you're sharing! When you share a meal you get to eat it too. And, in fact, the best way to experience something is to share it. Good by itself, but even better shared. Think about your favorite movie. Now think about watching that movie with that person who you know would love it (almost) as much as you do. Fun times, right? And, like I was trying to say yesterday, we spell love "T-I-M-E." There is really nothing more valuable than your time. So if you give it to someone... that's priceless. That's one of--if not THE--best ways to show you care. And it comes with a cost. If you're doing something for, or with, someone else then you aren't doing something for yourself. But when you love someone... it may cost you everything to show them you care, but it won't feel like a burden. It will flow from the love that's inside. Sometimes when I do stuff for my kid people kind of ask me things like, "You didn't really want to do that, did you?" Like if I let him pick the music we listen to. Which I almost always do. And his current band is NOT one that I would pick. But its literally the difference between being self-centered and Christ-centered (people-centered). And since I love him with a father's love (Father's love) it doesn't even cross my mind to put myself first. Like one of my favorite stories: When Logan was little I made myself a sandwich. Set it down on the table. Turned around to get something to drink. Turned back around to see him sitting in my spot... eating my sandwhich. And guys, I didn't get mad. I chuckled a little bit, and smiled so much it made my face hurt. Because he knew (and still, to this day knows) that what's mine is his. I always tell him, "If I have a spot, you have a spot." Because, if worse comes to worst, he can sit on my lap. Because... I care about him. Every night we make sure to have "our time" before bed. Where we cuddle, and read, and watch cartoons. Because there's nothing more precious than time. No better way to show someone you care. Giving everything you have and everything you are. Laying your life down for your friends. And knowing that you destroy your enemies by MAKING them your friends. Its not about winning in the sense of beating someone down. Its about winning souls, if I can coin that phrase. Winning by making sure everybody ELSE wins. Remember when we talked about being humble? And about how it isn't thinking less of yourself... its simply thinking about yourself less. Showing you care through deliberate acts of kindness. Showing you care about someone by putting them first. Putting in the maximum effort of finding out how THEY need to be loved, and then loving them in that way. Letting what's inside come out... by knowing and believing that its in there... but using wisdom. Letting it come out in a way that shows you care. In a way that will fill the need that you see. In a way that the other person needs. That's what's so special about love--everbody needs it, and we have it. So we can give it. We can share it. We can receive it and release it. Receive it BY releasing it. God cares for us, so we can care for each other!