Allow me to introduce you to the little (or long) musings that have been stored on my phone over time. Some were written with intent to publish to instagram or here on the blog, some were simply to get thoughts out of my head, and others a combination or no clear intent at all.
I hope to be sharing these periodically -and without edits from the transfer from phone to blog- as a little exercise in vulnerability, so thanks in advance for following along.
A phone note from September 2017:
For some time now, God has been nudging me to care for those around me. Especially those I have been quick to reject.
It is easy for me to avoid people who rub me the wrong way. I often think, “Jesus wouldn’t want me to associate with these people,” when their negativity or anxiety or deception or arrogance permeate the atmosphere. Everything about interacting with these individuals feels toxic and inauthentic to me. So I actively avoid. I avert my eyes, turn around, walk the other direction.
However, God revealed to me that people live from their own experience and I should not judge others (ever, but) for living as they have been taught.
For example, even after Jesus completed his ministry on earth, the Jews still wanted to adhere to the religious rules from before his time because that’s how they understood faith. However, the Gentiles, knowing Christ-followers were not bound to dietary rules and sacrifices, demonstrated their faith in other ways (see Romans 14:1-3).
It also happens that of the active-avoidance situations God has shown to me so far, almost all of the people are non-believers. This means that many of the people I have been avoiding because they cause me discomfort actually may not know there is a Savior who loves them and gave His life to make them whole, complete, and blameless in His sight. They are forgiven; they can be made new.
I believe that God wants me to reach those around me who don’t yet see His hand reaching out for them. This means I need to be OK with being uncomfortable.
Right now, for me, this is loving God’s children who others are rejecting out of fear of being relationally hurt and abused. This is loving God’s children who are living in crippling anxiety and fear. This is loving God’s children even though I may be hurt in the process, yet trusting that God does not leave me in the storm. This is the testimony I want to share.
–SET
After Awe. 