Not my will, but yours, be done

When I was an agnostic, I was pretty much the center of my story.

A truth: You don't need to be a Christian to have a cause. Without thinking of God, I still gave to charities that I liked. I volunteered each week at a charity store for years. I made sure to get my pets from a rescue shelter. I shed tears for victims of tornadoes and famine. I had groups in society I liked to champion: the underdog, usually. The people who are overlooked.

I used to love doing those things because 'Good Deeds' aren't the sole property of Christians.

But I was still the center of my story. I got a pat on the back for doing good. And I had a line in the sand. A big thick line between what I would and would not do. Who I would and would not help.

Don't get me wrong: I still have a line in the sand. But God is helping me blur the line, smooth it out so there's no distinction between what I will do and what I should do. 

Having God helps us go that one step further. Then one more. You see, God calls us to love and pray for our enemies too, not just our friends and neighbors or the underdog!  It's not the easiest thing in the world, loving those we don't like, or those who do much wrong. It's not easy at all.

Source unknown

In the book of Luke, when Jesus was in the garden shortly before His arrest, He prayed to the Father. He knew the sacrifice He was about to make. He knew the plan all along, and He was ready for the torture and horror that His sacrifice would be. Yet, as He was also fully human, He looked to the Father for an option.  

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”  Luke 22:42

In His anguish Jesus sweat blood. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.

Often we don't want to consider what God is asking of us. It's too hard, too uncomfortable, too much like someone else's problem. But Jesus was here to tackle our problems. Our writhing, steaming mess of sin. For a moment, He asked the Father to perhaps reconsider the plan, all the while saying 'I will still do whatever you ask of me.'

Even as a Christ-follower, I fall into my human heart; I become the center of my story all too often. One thing I have learned is that when I start my days with God in the center - through bible reading, listening to worship music or a sermon on the radio, it reminds me that I am not the star of my story. It is, and always was, about Jesus Christ.

When the most important Being in the universe is at the front of my mind and all my thoughts, it makes it so much easier to be humble. To put someone else first. To hold my tongue when I am irritated. To help someone I might not even like. To pray for someone who took it all from me. To expect nothing back. To remember that when my will clashes with the Lord's, that I need to let mine go and pray to do His will instead.

Manuelito Project - fun!

Bold compassion comes in so many forms, and very often it's just about love. About a big smile. About fun. Here are a few pics that just warm my heart from our trip to Honduras. You don't need to go overseas for this. Any city or small town has kids that need compassion. They might be the kids that you normally don't talk to, or you tell your kids "Be thankful you are not in their home."
They are the kids that are often overlooked or looked down on.

These guys never turn down a chance for a game of soccer!

And the kids thrill for the pinata!

Making rubber band bracelets

Dancing! Our team join in!

Compassion in Words

Words are powerful.

They whisper "I love you." They make hearts soar. They let us share secrets with someone a thousand miles away. They change minds. They make laws. They command armies.

The right words can end wars.

Positive words inspire and bring joy.  Negative words - through gossip, complaining, arguing, demeaning - break morale, bring us down, drain our spirits. 

I find writing to be a much safer medium. I can filter the rash thoughts, re-check them, wait until I am calm to see what I really think. The delete button is a gift. With the spoken word, they can be said in a heartbeat, and though they can be forgiven, they are not easily forgotten. I am not alone in my struggle to tame my tongue, and to stop mean and rude words passing my lips when emotion rises. But even with the safety of a keyboard, the internet and social media is filled with lies, gossip and bullying from many who don't make great use of that time lapse between thinking something and blurting it out.

The bible has plenty of advice and warnings on taming our tongue. James puts it rather bluntly, doesn't he?  The bible is clear that harsh words, cruel words, deceitful words all need to be stopped. And James tells us, if we don't control this, then all the other religious efforts we make are worthless. Indeed, if the most important commandments are about loving God, our neighbors and our enemies, what place do thoughtless words have?

I have meditated a lot on the difference between reacting versus responding.  When we react to a situation, we let our feelings take control, and feelings often lie. They are temporary, and as we calm down or take a moment, those feelings often change. What we said fifteen minutes ago no longer feels right.
Conversely, when we respond to a situation, we think about what we will say, what will be helpful and how it will be received.

An example:  A friend complains about her job for the 5th time this week. A reaction would be, "Why don't you quit then? All you do is complain about it." A response would be, "I'm sorry you've been so unhappy at work lately. What's been bothering you? Maybe we can think of a solution."
A teenager blurts out an angry swear word about his best friend. A reaction would be, "Don't use that word in my house!" A response: "That's not like you to use such a horrible word.  What's made you so angry?"
(An apology and change might come more easily when he feels heard and understood.)

Oh, easy to say as I sit and type, right? After your own stressful day, dealing with other people's stress, negativity, tension, lies, cussing, bullying and so on can just be too much. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is pretty good at helping us in these moments. These moments can be an invitation to lean into Him for guidance, wisdom and self control.

So, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I vow to try:

To respond with love.
To think about each reply before I speak it.
To pray for someone who needs encouragement.
To remind someone they are loved.
To remain silent if my words are not helpful.
To let them know, this is temporary. Better is around the corner.
To share a blessing of encouragement.
To offer to listen.
To offer a kind truth to a lie.
To use words only for good.
To tell someone I value them.

How else can we use our words for compassion? What will you change?

Butterflies

A few weeks ago, I took a walk with some ladies at church. We were having a monthly women's ministry get together and we began with a 1 mile walk. It wasn't just any walk though. We had to walk the first 5 minutes in silence.

Silence. 20 or 30 women. Walking for 5 minutes in silence. We were put to the test in about a minute when 2 joggers ran towards us and said hello. We couldn't respond. I could almost feel the energy from the group as they strained to stifle the manners of a reply!

I was quite amazed at how quickly the 5 minutes went by. In the first moments, I noticed the trees. I thought of their longevity and what had they lived through; were they oblivious or did they notice everything?

I spotted two pale blue dancing butterflies, flying by, flirting with each other perhaps. I thought about how God created them, how He provides for them. And they know nothing. They live so simply, they know nothing of drama, sorrow or heartache. They don't know how to lie or cheat or steal.

Source http://www.dailylifeverse.com/posts/2013/02/matthew-6-26

I thought of how God provides for them, and how He provides so much more for us. And how He has given us the emotions and capacity that allow us to feel the drama, sorrow or heartache  of life. How He gives us the skills that we sometimes use for lies and cheating and stealing.

The butterflies don't know all that negative, yet nor do they know the opposite extreme either: love, joy, warmth.  He gave us the whole spectrum. All of it! Oh, how we don't use all that He has given, and yet He still gives. How we dwell on the downs it brings, and allow them to swallow the joys.

Sometimes it seems so much simpler, that life of the butterfly. But He didn't intend that simplicity for me, or for you. He wanted you to feel the emotions, to turn heartache into compassion, forgiveness and action; to use pain to learn; to use our skills for good.

Bold compassion often comes from the drama or the heartache or the pain. How can we deeply care about someone without putting our hearts on our sleeve and making it vulnerable? How can we really help if we don't deeply care? He cares. He built us to care. He made the butterflies sweet, gentle and light in heart, but He made us for so much more.