One thing I have recently tried to prioritize in my life is loving others despite what it looks like. A while back, when my relationship with the Lord began to truly grow, I started taking “love like Jesus,” seriously. And let me tell you, that is no easy task and the standards are impossible to live up to. But when I began to realize that loving others sometimes looks like laughing at a bad joke, listening to someone tell a long story, not judging people at first glance, or even just waiting on them while they tie their shoes; everything started to change. The growing love I had for Jesus was starting to carry over to how I loved those around me.
When I looked around, I saw a lot of Christians that did not take “love like Jesus,” seriously. It saddened me, and I didn’t understand how someone that claimed to know the Lord and His love could treat His creation like this. I started to realize that those people could be “the face” of Jesus to some people. I can hear someone now saying, “I don’t want anything to do with the people that treat me this way,” or “why would I want to be a part of such a hateful community?” And I am heartbroken. There are so many people in our world that will never have a relationship with God because they were mistreated by someone that does.
My work wasn’t done when I pulled out of that water, it was just beginning.
This past summer, I realized that my #1 purpose on this planet is to pour love into people. And there’s a whole planet full of people that need that love! They need someone to plant the seeds of LIFE in them so that they may know the peace and joy and grace that comes from the Father. The love that comes from Him is far more extraordinary than what we could give, AND I WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW!!! I want to shout it from the rooftops, I want to sing His praises, I want the entire world to know the love that my Father has for me!
And that is exactly why I am going on The World Race Gap Year. I want to step out on the Father’s love into something that won’t be comfortable. Something far away from my home. Far away from my family and friends. Because it is so worth it to leave what is comfortable if even just one person comes to know the Lord. Jesus didn’t do what was comfortable. He didn’t choose the path of least resistance. Why should we? His discomfort brought us life. And I pray that mine will guide someone closer to that life. By loving people around the world and by showing them the joy that the Lord gives, I believe He will move in tremendous ways. And I am ready to be a vessel of His love.
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:7-9.
