“Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
Around the Thanksgiving holiday, people have been posting on their Facebook walls different things that they are thankful for—something I have enjoyed reading. It truly is a great exercise in reorienting our hearts to things of importance. And while I didn’t post them this year, I have been taking note in my heart all the things of which I am humbly grateful…my wife and family, my job and my home, my country and my freedom, my friends and future friends…
And the thread that runs through all of that, the thread that holds all things together, is what I am most grateful for—my sovereign and gracious God. Some of you may stop reading right here—I am sorry if you do.
Our world is a cynical place. There is good in this world, but there is also a looming brokenness, sadness, loneliness, oppressiveness and aching that each one of us experiences—some more than others.
When I began these posts, my goal was to reach out in encouragement and enlightenment, to speak to your heart and to instill hope. I followed the example laid out in Philippians 4:8 (“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”).
While I do put my faith in Christ and the redemptive gift he gives to anyone through his death and resurrection, I have chosen to be discriminating in how I craft each week’s post. I love Jesus, but I don’t want to shove that down anyone’s throat. I’ll let my light shine, but I won’t attack you with it. I want my actions and my words to reflect my faith and not be alienating to those who may not share my beliefs.
I hate religion. It’s generally prideful and self-serving. It definitely is off-putting. To some, simply putting “Jesus” in a sentence is an instant cause to turn away—and that makes me sad. That’s why religion has done more harm than good. That’s why I have refrained from being blatantly Biblical.
It may not be obvious, but the underlying themes in each post are based upon Biblical values and Jesus’ teachings. My wisdom is not my wisdom. When it comes down to it, by my own merits I am nothing more than a fool—and a big one at that. But I find wisdom (and great freedom) in contemplating and embracing the wisdom given to us. I have tried to pass that along in an accessible way, hoping to begin a dialog with those open to exploring why I believe what I do. And I have had that great honor of doing this through some great respectful conversations with others.
Listen, I truly believe God changes lives—if we are open to letting him be God and not by making ourselves, our priorities, our business, our celebrities and our distractions into gods. I plant seeds and pray that God waters them. That’s my job. Some will fall on fertile soil, others will fall in the thicket, and others will sadly land on rocks. But this world needs hope. People need encouragement and love. If only one of my posts is an impetus for growth or change in someone’s life, it has been well worth it. And if this change spreads, all the more so.
For those of you who have been burned by religious zealots, who have been alienated and judged and been made to feel less-than, I sincerely apologize. That’s not who my God is, and certainly not how he calls us to behave. I have seen firsthand the power of change that God can bring into people’s lives—really powerful changes—and I have experienced this in many different ways in my own life. Almost nothing grieves me more than when people close their minds and hearts to God simply because they have had a bad experience or disappointment with “religion.”
I am not ashamed of my faith. And I am open to sharing it without judgment or arrogance with anyone who has ears to hear and would like to know more. That is my sincere hope and would be my greatest honor. I am grateful for those who have been open to engage with me in a dialog, having open minds and genuine curiosity. And while they may disagree, I am grateful that despite our differences we are able to respect each other, have love for one another, and to remain friends.
All of my posts hinge upon one thought: “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” If we all embraced this idea, funneling our words and deeds through this mantra, this world would be a much healthier place. We all have such great power to be a light to others; to lift up others; to be an encouragement and to share love.
So, whether you share in the same faith I have or whether you don’t, the one thing I hope we do share in is the journey to grow, to uplift, to encourage, and to love. This year I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to spread sunshine and words of encouraging wisdom through this blog and through this crazy forum of Facebook. And, if you have read this far (I wonder how many will), I am grateful that you did. I appreciate all of the feedback and kind words that propel me from week to week.
All my very best to you and your loved ones this Thanksgiving. I encourage you to take a serious moment—even if you have to lock yourself in a closet to focus—to not dwell upon those blessings you do not have, but contemplate ALL of them that you do: a mind, a beating heart, another day, another chance to do things differently. Don’t simply let Thursday be a day of turkey and football, but make it one of sincere gratitude—in doing so, you’ll have more than enough fuel to weather tough storms and bring change to this crazy world.
Please share with others