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Bend

Scott started his MBA program the first year we were married. He was assigned to read a book entitled, Changing Minds. The running joke was that he was not, in fact, reading the book for school, but instead, reading it for me. The joke was now that we are married, he was working on me to change my thinking to his. Of course, this is all fun and games and hilarious, but how often to we go into relationship, or even simple conversations, expecting to change someone's mind? I do it every day. I have three young children. You better believe I am trying to mold their minds.

I was thinking today that while I think I have brilliant ideas, you do too. What may look and feel right for me, may not be the same for you. My job on this earth is not to change you. My job is to show you.

Where am I going with this? Well, there seems to be a notion that if we do not bend to each other's ways, we are intolerant. I see this on all sides of the spectrum. One minute one side is heavily accusing the other of being close minded and bigoted and then the next day they switch roles. We are all guilty and this is not a finger pointing session. This is an opportunity for me, as a believer in Christ, to determine my role.

I will absolutely not bend on my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I will not bend on the belief that He came with the purpose to die for my ugly ways and be raised to life again so that I, and all of you, may have eternal life. I will learn, grow, and be stretched in my faith but I will not bend in the core belief of the Gospel. This does not mean I am bigoted nor does it mean that I am filled with hate or intolerance for others who do not believe or live as I do. My role is not to force you to bend my way. My role is not to shove this faith stuff down your throat. I am not called to tell you how wrong you are and how right I am. My purpose is not to determine that the way I worship is right or better than the church down the street. My position isn't to get you to my side of the fence. Nope. God never called me, or anyone else, to assignment of forcing others to believe in Him. He doesn't need us for that. My role, my purpose, my position is to live a life so full of love and grace filled with unexplainable joy even in the most dire situations that others say, "What on earth does she have that I don't? I need some of that, whatever it is?"

We have completely lost sight of our role as disciples (followers) of Christ. A disciple back in Jesus' day followed their Rabbi so diligently that they mimicked every word and action of their teacher. The student, or disciple, became the Rabbi. The people of the day knew which Rabbi the disciples belonged to just by watching their actions. In walks Jesus with His motely crew of disciples. They were ordinary messy people who tried their best in all their humanness to follow Him. And how did He lead? Did Jesus walk into the streets demanding respect and that everyone bow down before him immediately? Absolutely not. Jesus modeled a life worth longing for, so much so that people's lives were radically changed just by being in his presence.

I want to emulate Jesus so radically that when someone is in my life, they are moved towards their Savior, not away. I don't want to force my faith into your life. That wasn't what I was designed to give nor what you were designed to receive. God designed us to love others as He loved us through his son. He did not create us to stand on our platforms shouting our message to those we see as outsiders. He calls us to love; to lead a life so evident of Him that no one can turn away. I want to live a life like that. While I will not bend in my faith, I will love so purposefully in Him that others can't explain me any other way than through the love and grace of a Savior.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."John 13:34

Love & Blessings,
Meg

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