A Call to Love
As I sit here and write trying to figure out how to word everything stirring inside of my heart right now I am reminded of God's redemption. And, when I think of redemption, I think of atonement, which leads me to a very thankful heart.
[Luke 2:38]
"And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem."
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I recently reconnected with an old classmate from high school. This has me thinking on several things. One being who I was versus who I am now. She mentioned to me that in high school she thought I didn't like her and she was surprised that I had messaged her. It's not that I didn't like her, I honestly just didn't see people. I never took the time in high school to really stop and notice the people around me that I wasn't friends with. I never went out of my way to get to know people. And, honestly, I wasn't a very good witness. I believe God had began working on me in some of these areas my senior year but by that point she had already graduated and the opportunity to be Jesus to her had passed.
As I am slowly reconnecting with her now I am thankful that Christ has brought reconciliation in a place where I actually didn't even realize I needed it. Christ has allowed me to gain a new perspective on people and on Him and is continuing to break my heart for the people around me. He is stirring in my heart a desire to leave an impression of Him wherever I go and to everyone I come in contact with. The fact that He is opening up opportunities and doors that I in my own flesh had closed years ago leaves me humbled. His grace just simply leaves me speechless.
I know there have been several others times when I have not been a good witness and overlooked God's children around me. All I can do is trust that God has and will send someone into their lives to be a light where I wasn't. And, He will, because God's grace and mercy is unfailing, and so is His love. And, He pursues after His children because He loves them. This also creates an urgency in me to constantly seek God's face so that I don't miss anymore opportunities.
[Luke 4:18-19]
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
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I can feel that the song inside of my heart continues to sing of compassion, gentleness, and love for people. This is something God continues to speak to me and show me more about. It is also something He continues to lay on my heart to write about. So, I just pray that as God stirs my heart for this He stirs yours as well.
This isn't suppose to be this long and extravagant post about loving people and a step by step guide on how to do it. It is simply a call to do it. We are appointed. We have been filled with the Spirit of God. Sometimes we just have to be willing to ask God to open our eyes and actually look. There are no 3 step guides on how to love people. It doesn't have to be complicated. We just need to do it.