A Greater Good

It's been quite awhile since my last blog. I have been busy learning a new job, leading a Bible study, and taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. I havent had much time to sit and type my thoughts. And if I am honest with you, I have to admit I was not in the best place spiritually. It's hard to describe what happened and why - but God is bringing me back. Through my trial, God is giving me a bigger and clearer view of Himself and I amazed and awed. God has used a series of events and relationships in my life lately to show me how He loves. I have had some struggles in a few of my relationships. I am not talking about once instance or one person. But in the events of life, I have been both offended and the offender. Miscommunication, misunderstanding, lack of trust, and admittedly my selfishness has caused pain and brokenness in some of my relationships. I have known that reconcilation was needed. In some cases it was easier than others, but no matter how hard, it required one person to reach out to begin the reconcilation. In some cases, I was able to be that one who reached out to initiate. In another case, I was frozen. I was unable to reach out due to fear of being rejected or hurt again. Thankfully, the other person reached out to me. I'm thankful to the Lord for answering my prayer and meeting my need. I am thankful to my friend for taking the risk when I couldnt. But I dont tell you this to air my personal business on public airwaves. My blog is about life lessons learned along the way - and the lesson God showed me here is what I am most thankful for. In any relationship - parent/child, spouses, siblings, friends - there is risk. Risk of being rejected or hurt. As Christians, I believe we are on this earth for two reasons: to make disciples, and to become more like Christ through our journey. So in the area of relationships, I look at how Jesus lived. And I must looked at how Jesus died. Throught His earthly life, Jesus reached out to everyone. He knew He would be rejected. He knew He would be hurt - not once, but over and over again. When he called Peter to follow Him, He knew Peter would deny Him three times. He knew that though He had his "inner circle" of 12, none of them would be the friend He needed at His darkest hour in the Garden of Gethsemane. So what did Jesus do? Did He protect Himself from the pain? Did He become introverted and only associate with those He could trust (which was no one)? Of course not. Jesus continued to reach out. He continued to put Himself out there continually facing hurt and rejection. He continued to love. And on the cross of Calvary, when he was crucified for our sins, He continue to receive the pain, the rejection, the insults - and He received the worse pain of all - separation from His Father. God the Father, the only relationship Jesus could trust in - He allowed Himself to be torn away from. Why? For a greater good - because He loved us and would do anything to reconcile us to God so that we could live in relationship with Him both now and for eternity. For Jesus - His love for us and His desire for relationship with us was worth the pain, worth the risk. He knew that not all would except this gift. But He had to do offer it and leave the decision up to us. It brings deeper meaning for me to a song we sing in church: How Great the Pain of Searing Loss The Father Turns His Face Away As wounds which mar the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory He had to endure the pain of searing loss - to bring many sons to glory. So, if we are on earth to become more like Christ, shouldnt we too be willing to take the risk and handle a little pain for the greater good of loving people? Like Jesus did, we must decide that the value of our relationships are a greater good, a greater goal, a greater worth - worth the pain that comes with being human. The next time there are some waves in my relationships, I pray that I remember my Savior. I pray that I remember how He kept loving and kept reaching out - through the pain and the hurt - for the greater good. And as I finish this post, another song comes on Klove. It says: Let my life be the proof, the proof of your love Let my love look like you and what you're made of Lord, teach me to love like you - teach me to love with the love you have given to me.