Witness part 2
"Did you see that?" Usually exclaimed in utter disbelief, hoping that someone else can verify what you think you just saw. Shared experience is much more powerful than individual experience. Look at Hebrews 12:1, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. We're not in this alone. The reason we CAN lay aside every weight, and the sin that can so easily beset us, is because of the support we get. Remember the other day when I quoted the verse about Jesus holding us up? Keeping us from falling? That comes in the form of US holding EACH OTHER up. Edifying each other instead of chopping each other down. You don't look better by making someone else look worse. That's not how it works. Especially--one more time--because we're in this together. We succeed when WE succeed. We're all part of the human race but that doesn't mean we have to race each other. I think of it more as a relay race. I do my part and then pass the baton on to you. You do your part and together we get it done. Together WE win the race. What's that old saying? Many hands make light work. Something like that. So what I'm trying to say is, when we're talking about God--about LOVE, about the finished work of the cross--we're all looking at the same thing. Witnessing the same experience. And going through it together. Building each other up in the faith. "Did you see that?" I sure did. And it was awesome. That's how we learn and grow together; we grow together when we go together. When we go through things together. And if you're going through something that I've already been through, I can help you through it. That's part of the point of me going through it. We go through things so that we can help others through those same things. God puts people in our paths for one of two reasons, right? Either for a lesson or a blessin'. And either way it's to help us, not to hurt us. God knows the thoughts that He thinks toward us. Thoughts of peace and not evil. He doesn't want us to suffer. He wants us to enjoy the gift He's given us--the gift of God which is His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love. He wants us to have the good life. To enjoy our life. But we can't do it alone. Because to live is to love. To love is to live. And you can't love without having someone TO love. It's relationship. Connection. We are all in this together. Did I mention that? So when we have something to share... we need to share it. When we go through something together... that makes it even more powerful. Even more meaningful. Even more real. So whether we ARE the witness, sharing our experience, or whether we need the experience of other witnesses... it's all about running the race with patience. Learning and growing with each other. Running together. Holding hands. Not leaving people behind, so that we look fast. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!