When He steps in to our space...
It is part of my calling to use my voice to advocate for the broken, marginalized, left out Youth of Portage (and people in general). I want to be Jesus to them. I want to see the one who sits alone at the lunch table, the one who is different, the one who seems happy living for his next buzz at a party, the one who is afraid and lives in shame of showing how hurt he really is. Yes, I want to do this...I want to be like Jesus, but how?
STEP IN TO THEIR SPACE NO MATTER HOW SCARY, MESSY OR AWKWARD IT IS! LISTEN & UNDERSTAND THEM AND CALL THEM TO KEEP GOING! (See Phil. 2:1-11)
A few years ago a lady I know embodied this well. I was at a ladies Christmas gathering and we were singing songs. My dear friend who lead the singing asked the ladies to get up during the song and dance/do the actions as we were instructed. I sat there enjoying...or at least telling myself to enjoy watching the ladies. The sting of my palsy -worn body bites hard in moments like this, but before I could even start turning the dance party into my own pity party Jesus showed up in the actions of a lady. This Jesus-filled lady saw my left outedness and sat down in the chair beside me. She raised her hands and said, "Let's Dance!" Her and I then joined the dance party from our seats! I was no longer an observer, but a participant in the joy all because this lady stepped in to the awkward of my space, understood my situation and now I even receive notes from her that are often signed, "Keep dancing!" She was like Jesus. He lowered Himself and stepped in to our space...the space of the world.
What would it look like if we as Youth Workers...if we as the Body of Christ had the courage to step in to the space of the people around us? What if we weren't afraid to meet people where they are at...loving them there and then giving them hope for more? What if in our failure to advocate and fight for the lonely, the minorities and the misunderstood we pointed people to Jesus--Our perfect Advocate who always fights for us, fills up our loneliness and always understands us when people don't! What if we were like Jesus? Spaces would feel safe, people would be heard, known and transformed all because of His love!
"Keep Dancing!"
STEP IN TO THEIR SPACE NO MATTER HOW SCARY, MESSY OR AWKWARD IT IS! LISTEN & UNDERSTAND THEM AND CALL THEM TO KEEP GOING! (See Phil. 2:1-11)
A few years ago a lady I know embodied this well. I was at a ladies Christmas gathering and we were singing songs. My dear friend who lead the singing asked the ladies to get up during the song and dance/do the actions as we were instructed. I sat there enjoying...or at least telling myself to enjoy watching the ladies. The sting of my palsy -worn body bites hard in moments like this, but before I could even start turning the dance party into my own pity party Jesus showed up in the actions of a lady. This Jesus-filled lady saw my left outedness and sat down in the chair beside me. She raised her hands and said, "Let's Dance!" Her and I then joined the dance party from our seats! I was no longer an observer, but a participant in the joy all because this lady stepped in to the awkward of my space, understood my situation and now I even receive notes from her that are often signed, "Keep dancing!" She was like Jesus. He lowered Himself and stepped in to our space...the space of the world.
What would it look like if we as Youth Workers...if we as the Body of Christ had the courage to step in to the space of the people around us? What if we weren't afraid to meet people where they are at...loving them there and then giving them hope for more? What if in our failure to advocate and fight for the lonely, the minorities and the misunderstood we pointed people to Jesus--Our perfect Advocate who always fights for us, fills up our loneliness and always understands us when people don't! What if we were like Jesus? Spaces would feel safe, people would be heard, known and transformed all because of His love!
"Keep Dancing!"
Comments
Post a Comment