Friday, February 12, 2016

The Greatest Is Love


February is the month of love.  Hearts are everywhere.  There are heart shaped candies, heart shaped cookies, greeting cards, banners, homemade love notes from our little ones and the list goes on.  It’s the month to remember that we are loved and to tell someone else that they are loved.

 The month of love can also be a lonely time if we don’t have that special someone.  It can be a time of feeling isolated and unknown.   It can be a time where the color red and the symbol of a heart, breaks ours, just a bit.  So much emphasis is put on romantic love that we might be leaving out a very special heart along the way, the heart of a friend.

Is God calling us to seek out that person that needs a kind word, a kind smile and a friend?   Do we need to step outside of our comfortable space, reach out, lean in and offer friendship? 

My guess is yes. 







Mark 12:31 The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Sometimes it just takes stepping away from me and stepping towards another person.  In the past I have let fear of the unknown, “Will they reject me?” or “Am I good enough?” swoop in and steal the moment.  Do you, like me, go through life mingling with people who seem to have their “stuff” together?  They seem strong, content and as if the last thing they need or want is a new friend.  If they aren’t holding a sign that says, “New Friends Welcome,” we often file them in the unapproachable category.  But some of the sweetest, kindest people are wrapped up in intimidating wrapping paper of self-image.  Maybe I should save the filing for another day.

Or there might be those who don’t stand out, who need to be found.  They don’t catch your attention the way others might.  They seem to avoid oncoming efforts of friendship.  Those hearts may need extra special coaxing to open up.  I have been one of those hearts before.  Are we afraid of the effort it might take, the sacrifice of time it may call for? 

I John 4:18-19 There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love because he first loved us.

Through successes and failures I have learned that most hearts are more than willing to make a new friend, to be loved, affirmed and welcome us into their world.  We all have a deep desire to be known and needed, two words I have been hearing a lot about lately and two words that call us to act.  Some of my most treasured friendships are those that took a measure of bravery, and a step or two into the unknown.

What if we stopped assuming, stopped labeling, stopped fearing and started loving?  What would we have to lose?  Imagine what we would have to gain?

 I need to examine myself and pray to be a person that is approachable and willing so that someone looking at me won’t file me in the “unapproachable” category.  I need to embrace vulnerability to be a person that let’s others in, let’s down my guard and let’s God bless me with the gift of friendship.

We owe it to each other, friends, to look to each other’s needs.  Hearts are everywhere.  We may never know what someone is going through unless we take that first step towards friendship.  We cannot assume to know what a person is thinking and it doesn’t matter.  Reaching out, encouraging and making one feel loved, that’s what matters!  We can leave the rest to God.  He will honor our efforts.

The next time we come face to face with a possible new friend or a heart waiting to be found, let’s be brave, be selfless and purposefully invest in them and then sit back and be surprised at the response…because the greatest of these is LOVE.

 

With love in mind,

Debbie Kirk

 

 

Saturday, December 5, 2015

The Light of Life
Standing outside in the sunlight holding a candle, it’s shining but it's light blends with the sunlight around it. So often, only when we cling to that same candle in the darkest of nights can we fully appreciate it and allow it to light our way.  These dark times are most definitely pointing us to the light…
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                                                                                          Sunlight and the Light of Jesus
You know the light is there.  You can see it if you turn your eyes to find it, the candle that you hold. The sunlight causes you to look here and there, taking in all of the beauty that surrounds you.  It isn’t difficult.  It’s as easy as breathing because darkness is nowhere to be found.  The sun is warm on your face.  Each step is illuminated with brilliant rays of golden goodness.  There are too many distractions to name, the green fields, the flowered valleys and the blue skies dotted with clouds.  All is well.  The world is as it should be.  You feel sure footed, stable and secure.  All the while, holding your candle close knowing how valuable it is, knowing that it will be the only source of light to guide your way should you ever end up in pitch black.  You are thankful for the sunlight, thankful for the song in your heart and the skip in your step.  Why would you ever want to leave its splendor?  If darkness was your home how could you sing of joy, find your way or be thankful for it?
 
Darkness and the Light of Jesus
You know the light is there.  It is all you can see, the candle that you hold.  You turn your eyes to find the sunlight and it is gone.  You hold on to the candle with a mighty grip.  You look here and there and all you see is darkness.  It’s the hardest thing you have ever done.  You can hardly breathe because sunlight is nowhere to be found.  You are cold.  You shake with fear.  You cannot find your way out of this pitch black.  Where is the goodness you once knew?  It is no more.  All you know is sadness and despair.  The world is chaos.  The darkness closes in around you and you lose your way.  You feel volatile and alone.  You hold your candle close, knowing how valuable it is, knowing that it will be the only source of light now that you have ended up in pitch black.  How can you be thankful for this darkness?  How can you be thankful for the ache in your heart and the paralyzing fear in your soul?  There is one thing that is the same, one thing that has accompanied you in both the sunlight and the darkness.  That one thing is the light of Jesus.  He shines bright in your darkness.  He is all you have in your darkest of nights.  You draw closer to his light than you ever did in the sunlight.  His light is the only warmth on your face, the only light for your path.  He becomes your all, your everything.  He shines his light into your very soul, giving you a song to sing when you don’t have your own, teaching you that darkness can be just as beautiful as sunlight when he is in it, slowly replacing your fear and heartache with joy and faith.  Keep hold of your candle and never let it go and whether in sunlight or darkness, all will be well with the world.
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“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

 
May His light shine in your darkness,
Debbie Kirk