Supply and Demand part 4
When the supply and the demand are the same thing, it is simple (notice I didn't say EASY) to meet the demand with your own supply. Confused? Let me say it like this: We all need love. Or, as the Beatles put it, love is all you need. So even though I believe we are completely controlled by Christ's love--either we think we don't have it and will do whatever we can think of to do to get it, or we know and believe we have it and we do whatever we do in order to give it away--even though love is the Alpha and Omega, its where we start and (if there is an) end... I believe we need to be sensitive of others. We need to have a little empathy. When people demand a lot... we need to remember that we have a lot to give. Is this making sense? I surely hope so. I feel like my preaching, or in this case Ranting, style is to wander around trying to make my point and then wondering after the fact if what I said got across in any meaningful way. What I'm trying to say is: It's never "too much" to love somebody. Now, let me say THIS on the heels of THAT, I don't believe you should ever put, or keep, yourself in a bad situation. Give someone everything you have and everything you are. And then, once you've given it all you've got... its either enough, or its not. And if its enough, then its not a bad situation. But if its not... "If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave" (Matthew 10:14 NLT). In the Message Bible it says, "“When you knock on a door, be courteous in your greeting. If they welcome you, be gentle in your conversation. If they don’t welcome you, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way." Don't make a scene. Don't condemn people just because they have the audacity to not be at the same level at the same time as you. Do your best and forget the rest. There's a demand there. Probably a big one. Try to meet it. Give away what Jesus has given you. And find that in the giving, you are actually receiving. And when the demand is small, when someone needs a shoulder to cry on, or an ear to listen to their problems, that small thing is really a big thing. The popular phrase says, "The devil is in the details." But really, God is in the small things. The random acts of kindness that can change someone's entire world. I've said many times, you don't have to change THE world, but you can easily change SOMEONE'S world. For the better, or, unfortunately, for the worse. Death AND life is in the power of the tongue, right? So when people demand more than you think you can give... be encouraged. You have exactly what they need. And if you don't--because not every person can reach every person--don't worry about it. Do what you can do. And don't worry about what you can't do. Give what you've got. And don't worry about what you haven't got. Because while we DO have all things that pertain to life and godliness, while we HAVE been given all things that pertain to life and godliness... while we've got what people want... all we can do is make it available to them. We can't force it on them. Some plant, some water, but it is God who makes it grow. The demand isn't too high, because its the same as the supply. But sometimes some people need a different... delivery system. If I can say it that way. And that's ok.