Faith Dare, Day 24: Practice the Presence of People
Dare to Allow Your Heart to Connect and Your Mind to Engage with Others
Have you ever hugged a porcupine? Ouch! I can only imagine how badly that would hurt! Those quills were not intended to make porcupines cuddly or inviting; rather, they were given to them by God to protect them from predators.
I have known some people who were very much like porcupines, with their “quills” poised and ready to poke anyone who tries to get close. One can only approach to a point, but the barriers that many people erect in their defense become almost impenetrable.
What causes us to keep others at a distance? Why do we draw a line in the sand and allow people to come only so far before we jump to a posture of defense? It is as if we feel threatened by relationships that breach our shallow limits of trust.
Our busy and self-centered lifestyles fuel this sheltered position to which we have too easily become accustomed, and we often settle for unsatisfying surface-level relationships instead of the deep and fulfilling friendships that God intended for us to develop.
Relationships take time and effort, as well as vulnerability. As long as we are unwilling to let down our guard a bit to allow someone into our inner circle, and as long as we are unwilling to invest in positive, healthy relationships, we will never know the very best that God has planned for us.
God never intended for us to be lonely or to journey through this life as porcupines who forcefully keep everyone at a distance. God’s best for us is to share life and love with each other, and to experiences various levels of intimacy with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Let us enjoy each other’s company and encourage each other in the faith. Go ahead and let your hair hang down in front of somebody! Have fun relating to others and laugh more. Let us allow ourselves to develop a few deeper friendships and learn to bear each other’s burdens. Let us be there for each other. Pray for each other often. Reach out and make an effort to connect. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide us to choose our friends wisely and to invest in quality relationships with each other.
Above all, let us love one another, for love is of God.
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8 NLT
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| My kids and their cousins enjoying being together |
Today’s Truth Is Speaking to Me…
Lord, help me to love as You love and to honor and esteem others as You do. It is so easy to just keep to myself, talk about myself, do things by myself, and to live a self-focused life. However, that is not the life God has planned for me. God created us to live in relationship – with Him and with others. He established the church so that all together we would be His body, and He planned for us to do life together and to encourage and strengthen each other in the faith.
Jesus actually prayed to the Father that we would be one and have genuine love for each other. His desire is for us to love each other, share life, cry and laugh together, celebrate and mourn together, have fun and enjoy each other, serve one another, and to strengthen and encourage each other. His plan is for us to assemble together often so we can “spur” each other on to do good works. We help each other be the best we can be for His glory.
We learn more about God, please Him, draw closer to Him, and become more like Him when we interact with His body. It is His plan. We must make it a priority and intentionally take the time to socialize, interact with, encourage, pray for and with, serve, bear each other’s burdens, help, rejoice with, and be affectionate toward each other. When we love, honor, and serve others, we are loving, honoring, and serving Christ.
God is asking me to…
Go out with or invite people over more often.
Make more of an effort to build relationships.
Listen to and give attention to others. Show interest in other people.
Show affection and offer words of affirmation and encouragement to others in the body more often.
Intercede for folks.
My challenge is to…
Get out of my comfort zone and my selfish tendencies.
Overcome insecurities and/or pride.
Look at people through the eyes of Jesus and not the lens of criticism.
Today’s Prayer… (Debbie Alsdorf)
Lord, I do not want to live a self-absorbed life, nor do I want to live behind self-protective walls and barriers. Teach me how to love others in an authentic way that enriches their lives and honors You. Father, lead me into relationships that are Your choice for me and to friends who are part of Your design for my life.
Favorite Quotes… (from The Love Dare, by Debbie Alsdorf)
“God created us for relationship not just with Him but with others as well.”
“We were created to connect, to do life together, to bear each others’ burdens, to care with our whole being for those whom Christ loves.”
“Honoring the value of people is a choice we make when we dare to live the Jesus style of life.”
“God’s love is different. It is pure and not self-seeking; it is patient and kind; it always believes the best in another; it doesn’t fail.”
“Invite someone over to dinner, out to coffee, or to a movie, even it if makes you uncomfortable.”
“Listen to the person who is talking to you. Stay focused on that person for that moment. Give her your full mind and attention.”
“Be happy when others succeed. Block jealousy from your life by committing your life to God and trusting His outcome for you.”
“People matter to God. I will open to others and to the relationships God has for me.”
