Engagement - Jesus 101
March 5, 2008 – 7:15 amI think one of Jesus’ teaching should have been, “If you want to care about people then care about them.” I think about Vi Warwick often. She is probably in her mid-eighties. I think about John Murphy often. He died several years ago. I think about how that they cared about me and cared for me. They weren’t my parents (because I have all kinds of expectations attached to that). They didn’t want my money, wisdom, talents, etc. In fact they didn’t want anything from me.
They encouraged me, reached out to me, let me be selfish, stupid, even -mildly self-destructive - all the while praying for me, talking with me, calling me, reaching out to me in sensitive ways (that probably weren’t received all that well by me). There were no kudos in it for them.
They didn’t want to fix me. They didn’t want to convert me. They weren’t pushing me to change.
You know what I think they wanted for me… me to be me - a child of God, created special, unique, and lovable. They wanted me to know that I knew what was right or wrong and that I could choose right. They wanted me to know that I was loved no matter what I chose. They even wanted me to know that I was loved if I never reciprocated any of the love they were showing me.
They weren’t telling me that there were going to be consequences to behaviors because they took the time to know me and knew that I knew there were consequences.
They showed me that they genuinely cared about me. Why? Just because…
The longer I live and the deeper I dig at the purpose of life, I keep ending up at “Just because… that is how God loves us.”
When I younger I didn’t realize the incredible impression that individuals like these would leave on my life. And I think for each of us, there comes a time in life when we can realize how special these relationships are. Then there comes a time in life when we want to offer what has been given. Somewhere in that mix, hopefully, we realize that each person that comes in and out of our lives is a child of God, created special, unique, and lovable.
Now, Joe the pastor, I titled this article “Engagement - Jesus 101″ because I believe that the church - oh, never mind.
Just, bask in knowing that you are a child of God, created special, unique, and lovable.
Tags: Education, Random Thoughts, Theology
One Response to “Engagement - Jesus 101”
this is good stuff. a group of 17 of us here in clinton are studying a henri nouwen book called “life of the beloved” and it really speaks the same message you are saying here. in a way we just need to know how basically loved we are so we can love others without strings attached. thanks for sharing.
greg.
By greg milinovich on Mar 5, 2008