Wednesday, May 02, 2007
WE WERE MADE TO LOVE AND BE LOVED
I am currently reading Erwin McManus's book "Soul Cravings". He makes a big case for the fact that we as humans were made to love and be loved. (Sounds like a Toby Mac song, eh?)
I can see this so much in certain people I know. You see it in folks new to a Christian community. I am pleased to be a part of what I would describe as a very loving Christian community. I know of one person in that community who, even after several years as a part of it, still talks about how incredible and unbelievable it is for him to be a part of something where he feels so much love. I think that, for the previous 35 or so years of his life, this person experienced nothing but rejection in many areas of his life.
As I walk this path and experience the joy and wonder of knowing people who allow God's love to continually flow through them in wonderful ways, I am very thankful but I also pray that His love is manifest in me as well. Being a creature who was made to love and be loved, I cannot imagine living outside of Christian community.
Yet so many people do. And they're hurting.
For those of us in the workplace, we have a responsibility to continually give those folks a taste of what God's love is like. That is in fact probably the most powerful thing that we can do in regards to workplace ministry. It doesn't involve spending our lunches handing out tracts or carrying big signs that say "Jesus Loves You And So Do I". It instead involves doing the little things that let people know that you love and appreciate them not only for who they are and what they do but also just for being fellow travelers on this earth.
Once I finish Exodus in my "Bible Chapter A Day," I think I will switch over to I and II Corinthians for a more in-depth look at this idea of Christian community and what it can mean.
If we are truly living as God calls us, why would one not want to live in Christian community? The issue there is probably in the question ... not all Christian communities are functioning on all cynlinders. I want to take a hard look at what it means to be really truly living this out the way Jesus intended.
I can see this so much in certain people I know. You see it in folks new to a Christian community. I am pleased to be a part of what I would describe as a very loving Christian community. I know of one person in that community who, even after several years as a part of it, still talks about how incredible and unbelievable it is for him to be a part of something where he feels so much love. I think that, for the previous 35 or so years of his life, this person experienced nothing but rejection in many areas of his life.
As I walk this path and experience the joy and wonder of knowing people who allow God's love to continually flow through them in wonderful ways, I am very thankful but I also pray that His love is manifest in me as well. Being a creature who was made to love and be loved, I cannot imagine living outside of Christian community.
Yet so many people do. And they're hurting.
For those of us in the workplace, we have a responsibility to continually give those folks a taste of what God's love is like. That is in fact probably the most powerful thing that we can do in regards to workplace ministry. It doesn't involve spending our lunches handing out tracts or carrying big signs that say "Jesus Loves You And So Do I". It instead involves doing the little things that let people know that you love and appreciate them not only for who they are and what they do but also just for being fellow travelers on this earth.
Once I finish Exodus in my "Bible Chapter A Day," I think I will switch over to I and II Corinthians for a more in-depth look at this idea of Christian community and what it can mean.
If we are truly living as God calls us, why would one not want to live in Christian community? The issue there is probably in the question ... not all Christian communities are functioning on all cynlinders. I want to take a hard look at what it means to be really truly living this out the way Jesus intended.
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