I hope y’all had a good weekend. I wouldn’t consider myself rested, but somewhat refreshed after Sunday. Between a great message at my mom’s church and watching “Hitchcock”, I was reminded what this life is to look like. I was reminded that life is a headlong pursuit. Life is understanding God as Lord and spending all our waking hours using our gifts to love those around us, thus thanking God for what He’s given.

“When you find that people are warming themselves by the fire of your gift, this is Kingdom living.”

Fire is love

Sharing what we have,all of what we have is really how we love those around us. That is just the idea behind the quote above from church on Sunday. Fully living life is sharing the most valuable parts of us, the gifts God has bestowed upon us with those around us. I get the idea of people huddled around a campfire, shivering from the cold at their backs. I think that is really what we’re to be. Warmth in a world we all can agree gets darn cold sometimes.

Fanning to love those around us

This life isn’t about what we do, but how we do. I think that’s made quite clear in I Corinthians 13, and this is where “Hitchcock” struck me. Our life should be spent offering up all we have for a purpose that is bigger than us. We are constantly in need of fanning the flame that is the gift set within each of us. If we don’t improve our skills, our gifts, our passions, love those around us with them, we’re wasting them. It’s that simple. If we’re not loving those around us, we’re not growing.

Simply, we want to grow, and the way to do so is to love those around us with the gifts God has abundantly given. Pursuing a life of sharing those gifts is a life devoted to a cause that is far bigger than us. It’s not safe, it’s not normal, and there’s no guarantee. However, this is where God enters the picture. I could issue you assurance after assurance that He will not forsake you in this most ambitious of endeavors. I could tell you a million times that you’ll be fine. But I won’t. Go live it for yourself, friend. This is the best advice and reassurance I can give you. Break out of your small little world this Monday and love those around you for just a week. Then, tell me how you feel. Remember, we’re changing the world, friends. Nothing less.