Relations With The World Around

I don't know if you would call this a strength or even a weakness, but I am the type of person who genuinely likes people. I have found that in the past, maybe considering I am, personality wise, a relational person, that even the most different types of people from me I have tried to find the good in them. I have also tried to understand the reasons why they may struggle in certain areas. I remember once praying that God will help me to see people in His eyes. I feel He might have answered that in most ways for the people I have met through the years.

When I traveled around with FMMC, we did a lot of youth events and rallies. We also spent many days in the public high schools trying to share the love of Christ in the most appropriate way possible in the public school system. They are obviously very strict on how we shared our faith. We were not allowed to mention the name Jesus or God. Traveling with a motivational speaker (Reggie Dabbs) and doing drama during school assemblies, God was used as the word "love". We walked in some of the roughest school areas, like in the heart of downtown Baltimore, and also some of the more high class schools in different states. I will never forget my experience with a school in Baltimore where we had stopped our bus in the parking lot, and came running a teenage girl covered in blood and tears. I was in one of the front seats with another friend and we walked down to see what had happened to her. Apparently she had gotten beat up on her quiet morning walk to school. I didn't know all the details on who this was that did it and if it was someone she had a relationship with. All that I know is that I let her hug me and cry, and there my heart broke for the young hurting girls out there. Things like this happened on a regular basis in that area of Baltimore, and I learned more and more as we spent a few days there visiting some of the roughest neighborhoods.

As much as I desire to go out there and help comfort those who are hurting, I do know God's timing is always best. My heart was reminded recently on my passion for the teen and college age girls. I went to college majoring in Women's Ministry and Bible and was able to lead some Bible studies and spiritual guidance in the past for the young girls out there. I met various people. Some who I would have never pictured being my best friends to becoming some of the closest people to me. I can't say now that I have ever strongly disliked a person for petty reasons, but in some ways being "too nice" has seemed to become a bit of a weakness to me at times. Maybe it shouldn't, but I know it had. I was easily the "walk on" type. :)

These are just all of my random thoughts together in something I have been thinking of lately. I would have never pictured myself being able to build relationships in a high school filled with a complete variety of different groups and people. Those were the days when we were all in our own "click" "popular" group vs., the "geeks" vs., the "freaks." whatever they were called then and whatever they are called now. I sat beside so many different girls in those auditoriums, and even kept in touch through email and IM at the time. I was so blessed to be able to see some come to Christ and others grow. Not all of them came to Christ, but I am thankful I was able to plant some sort of seed to show them God's love in one way or another. I hope I can be that help to others again. All Glory to God.

Here is a word from Paul. A man of God's grace and an example to the world then and now:

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Timothy 1:12-17