Throwing Pens and Making Space for Differences
I am naturally careful to blend in...go along with whatever everyone else is saying. I don't want to cause a stir. I run and hide from conflict and thought that if I disagree with something that there can no longer be conversation or even relationship. I had to be compliant and cooperative and never express my opinion (especially if I knew it was different than everyone in the room) in order to keep peace. This is not ok!!!! This is not REAL community...this not REAL relationship...this is not REAL love. God has been moving in me and challenging me to risk and understand the differences of people around me and how to give up control and let people be who He has created them to be. We are unique people with a unique relationship with Jesus, unique personalities and unique backgrounds. We cannot all be the same and do the same things the same way! And I have learned that to try and make everyone like me is rather controlling and does not celebrate unity, but creates robotic, uniform, shallow relationships/ spaces and stunts growth. I need people around me who challenge my thinking, who do a different dance, organize a different way and use their different gifts. When I swallowed my pride and let go of control, the people who were beside me in running to Jesus were no longer a threat to me. They compliment me and teach me. The above photo is an example of this. We are two very different girls...with two very different ways of living life and yet we (for a very short season) plunged into a friendship that was for each of us a learning process. We had to give each other space for understanding our differences. How do you do this? *Giggles* SO MUCH TIME & VULNERABILITY! It takes time to be intentional and loving in a real way! There were days when I had to be super honest about how she made me feel or came across...I had to risk hurting her...and she had to risk hurting me in order to bring truth and clarity to our friendship! She wasn't afraid to listen to my different way...she trusted me enough to let me in and yes, she even made me frustrated so much that I threw a pen at her head!!! (It missed her though and I'm still so sorry about it!) It was real ya'll and not always the "let's braid each other's hair " kind of friendship! We were quite the office duo and yet the lessons I learned from her will stay with me. Our friendship/communication was a piece of what I think Jesus wants for His family. What would it be like if our lives/churches were places where people felt freedom to be different and express differing opinions without being shut down? What if two different people, from two different backgrounds learned how to work and live under Jesus? What if we could risk stating our disagreements and still value persons/friendships? There would maybe be a lot of pens thrown across the room😆 and yet a real, authentic, Jesus-exalting, beautiful expression of His family united and yet uniquely put together!
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| Most of the YFC Portage Crew |
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