The Struggle Bus part 3
For a long time I've said--because I believe it--that we should never look down on anybody... unless we are reaching down to help them up. Because we all fall down sometimes. We all ride, or even drive, the struggle bus at different points in our lives. It's not always smooth sailing. Life doesn't always (or ever, really) go the way we think it will. Or the way we think it should. Because a lot of the time it's more wishful thinking than anything else. We want what we want (which is kind of like saying water is wet... of course we want what we want, otherwise we wouldn't want it) and when we don't get what we want we lash out. Throw a fit. Get caught up in the disappointment. When, in reality, it's more important to figure out what we NEED (and what other people need) than anything else. Because needs are more important than wants. And needs are simpler. We need food, clothing, shelter, things of that nature. And we need love. Love is to humans like gas is to cars--without it you can't go anywhere or do anything. Love is our go-juice, if I can say it that way. So when we're struggling... when we really feel like we can't go on... the only thing to do is fill ourselves with what we've already been filled with. Let what's inside of us--what's REALLY inside of us, which is the love of God--fill us to overflowing so that it comes out naturally. And we do that by knowing and believing that it's in there. By letting Jesus take the wheel. By trusting in Him to take care of our needs, and not worrying so much about our wants. I always say this to: The most simple way to love someone is to see a need and meet it. And I say "simple" but not always necessarily "easy." Because identifying what a person needs can take some work. It can take some effort. Sometimes people wear their hearts on their sleeves... but sometimes they don't. Sometimes it's the stuff beneath the surface that you need to dig a little deeper to find. And that doesn't mean you have to be in their face, or invasive. That doesn't mean you have to shove Jesus down someone's throat--all that will get you is for the person you're trying to help to choke on it. And that doesn't help. Ever. At all. So what we need to do is be kind to each other. To understand that everybody rides the struggle bus, from time to time. Everybody is fighting a battle. And you might not have any idea. So don't kick people when they're down. Don't judge by appearance. Judge righteous judgment. Every time I see someone trying to better themselves, I give a "You go girl! (or guy)." Encouragment. Because that's a hard thing to do. Espeically when you feel like you don't have anything to give. There's a song lyric that says, "When you can't hold on... hold on." I like to say, "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hold on!" Because it came to pass, not to stay. The ride on the struggle bus can be a lot shorter if you stop trying so hard to do it all yoruself. If, again, you let Jesus take the wheel. If you make a U-turn. Stop plowing ahead, just because that's the way you've been going. Stop doing things just because that's the way you've always done them. Break the cycle. There's a more excellent way. And His name is Jesus. His name is love!