Sunday, February 21, 2010

How can you love and pour into someone today?

Lately I've been thinking outside of the box, but literally outside of the box. I've been considering, and maybe you've thought about this too, the things that are outside of this place that we call the Earth. I was sitting in church a couple of weeks ago and considering everyone around me and how outside of this body, nothing matters. As I noted on my previous post, I have found that my only purpose here is to fulfill God's purpose and tell people about him. Then why am I afraid? Why am I scared to tell people about salvation? Why am I afraid to tell people about the freedom that we have in Christ? The fear of rejection in such a place as the US where the most common rejection is...no thank you. I feel selfish. Selfish in the aspect of holding these truths to myself and not giving them out to everyone that I encounter. I'm not speaking in terms of a "Turn or Burn" kind of manner but really, when have people noticed something different about my actions that represents what I live for? If you can perceive what I'm talking about in consideration of life outside of yourself then you may understand what I'm talking about. Can I be honest with you? Church we need to wake up. Like I'm talking about picking up these dry bones that we call the body and placing skin over them. After we place some skin on them we need some internal organs or else we're just nothing. Then we need that thing called a brain so we can make smart decisions and not selfish ones with our own agenda, but God's in mind. After that we may need some muscles to start moving around and getting places, but until then we're stagnant and sluggish. I'm guilty of it to and I'm certainly not being egotistical, but it's time for those worship songs that we, yes we including I, sing once a week to become transformative of how we act. Our actions here matter. Our actions here are temporary. Lust is temporary. Money is temporary. Pleasure is temporary. Possessions are temporary. Cars are temporary. Climate is temporary. Politics are temporary. Gossip is temporary. I've come to the realization that so many of us see these things as more important to our life than what God wants for our life. I guess this ties into the whole selfishness thing that I've been considering and what the implications of our selfishness means. Do you realize what it means? I wish I had made more of an opportunity when I was younger to minister to my friends, and specifically to the friend in rehab. If you read this I miss you and we should sit down and talk for a while. So this selfishness that I'm considering in my past needs to be a two way street. If I'm looking back then there's a road still ahead of me, even the section of the very highway that I'm traveling on now. What am I doing in the present to cast off selfishness for the proclamation of things greater than me me me me me mine mine mine mine? This morning I had the opportunity to share with 12 5th and 6th graders that I help teach about my frustrations that I have now for the actions that I did at their age. However, focusing on past faults isn't healthy. So how do I pour into others now? If I don't pour into others now then why would I pour into others later? If I don't pour into others now, how will I be able to pour into my wife and children? If I don't pour into others now, will I ever pour into others. I think of someone very important in my life who never had their father pour into him and it's had a lot of psychological effects about what it means for them to consider others. It's caused a lot of selfishness, which we've discussed, and I think together we will start to make an improvement. Is that an aspect of pouring into others that we see something beneficially change for their life? I hope. And this is the hope that I hope for you. That you would recognize what you're being selfish with and need to consider how it is affecting others. How can you love and pour into someone today?

1 comment:

  1. Wow Charlie that was something else.... You are so great at writing your thoughts down. You may not know this but you impact so many by your actions and how you love unconditionally....maybe more so than by any words that come out of your mouth. Isn't that what it's all about? Lead by example..... I'm proud of the man you are son. I love you, mom.

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