Bottomless coffee, God's bottomless love

Matthew 5:38-42 speaks about going a second mile.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

I read this portion of Matthew 5 and think..it sounds like a lot of work. To go a second mile with someone, we must be willing to go one mile first. I have to admit, sometimes I don't even make it that far. I don't always react with love, with sweetness, with gentleness. My pride gets in the way. And as Christians, sometimes we think we're doing something really awesome and good when we react well to those who have wronged us, hurt us, or belittled us. When experiencing difficult situations or conversations we throw our "love" at them with a prideful, "Aha. Take that! I'm gonna be the better man." But are we really any better? Are we ever less prone to temptation, anger, pride, or really any vice than our neighbor? No.

And while it's definitely important and necessary to respond well...
what if instead of simply reacting well in love, we made initiatives to love?

Instead of saying "yes" to friends that ask for rides...what if we volunteered rides?
Instead of saying "yes" to those who ask for prayers...what if we always offered to pray and reassured them of prayers? Without being told.
Instead of internally cringing or hesitating when someone says those often dreaded words, "Can you do me a favor?"...what if we gave a 100% willing, unconditional, and enthusiastic "yes"?

What I mean to say is... Instead of merely agreeing to do things for others, what if we offered? What if we initiated whole-heartedly? Instead of sparingly serving love to one another, what if we poured it out unto others lavishily, without measure, without reserve.

Let's be real, most of the time...we are unwilling. Or we just plain don't think of it.  We're so concerned with ourselves. Our schedule. Our time. Our money. Our success. Our priorities. And in the midst of being consumed/obsessed with ourselves....we neglect others. But one thing is always true...Christ shows His love towards us by laying down his life. What if we believers did the same? Laid down our lives...not only by reacting in love...but by initiating love towards all men. Just as God both initiates and reacts in love...we show who Christ is by both.

Today, just as I walked into Zera's for my weekly coffee/study day, God poured out a cup of kindness towards me through a complete stranger. He was somewhat older and sat in his wheelchair at one of the long wooden tables. Just as I was passing, he turned to me and introduced himself as Todd. I noticed immediately that he had a severe stutter. We only spoke briefly, but he was warm and inviting. He asked me about the usual..my major (Speech Pathology), the ministry I'm involved in in Denton, my church. And I thought to myself..."Well, that was sweet." People don't usually just strike up conversation with people they don't know like that.

A little later, I went to the counter to get an iced coffee, and Todd was there paying his tab. As soon as he saw me, he told the cashier that he wanted to get something for his 'new friend'. And as much as I politely refused, he graciously persisted. I finally submitted and picked the cheapest thing on the menu that I could possibly find. And as I think to myself, "Oh, no, this is just too much. So nice....," he asked the cashier if my drink came with free refills. When she said "No" he said, "Okay, then make it a bottomless." In my head, I'm thinking...."Oh man...his kindness towards me just never ends. I shouldn't be getting a bottomless...I can barely finish just a small size...He's really wasting his money. He doesn't even know me...."

And as I stay to talk to him for a bit at the counter while he finishes paying, he just tells me that they'll bring the coffee out to where I'm sitting. I don't even know what to tell him in response to the unexpected sweetness...but he says that it was a pleasure meeting me. Imagine that. The pleasure was all mine Mr.Todd...who I will probably never meet again. I was astounded.

I have to say...it got me thinking... Why can't more people be like that? Why can't I be like that? Would I have ever even thought of doing that for someone I didn't know. Probably not.

What if people always cared for each other like that? Not acting only out of duty or obligation or necessity (because we don't know how to say "no" when people ask us for things) but volunteering to love...volunteering to give of ourselves graciously...just as God the Father fully gives of himself to us...because we want to say "yes."

How can we better live out the sacrificial love of Jesus? By sacrificing time and convenience to be there for others. And not only those who are close or important to us. But to every person...because of simply that...they are a person.

I want to be open and willing to go the extra mile for others.

I pray the words of John 13:35...that "By this the world will know that (we) are (His) disciples...if (we) have love for one another." I hope that our identity in Christ will be apparent by our love. Let's invite God to make our hearts bigger for His glory, so that the more we receive, the more we may also give.

First world problems

This was a really convicting read for me. 

In a country as lavish and progressive as ours, it's easy to look around and find trivial areas in which we're "lacking". I know that I often act like every slight inconvenience that God hands my way is an utter crisis. Praying for grace to better acknowledge and appreciate every blessing.

"I’ll continue to joke about my “first world problems,” but after visiting Nicaragua I realize that my greatest first world problem is my spiritual poverty – my failure to realize that I rely on God for everything I have and everything I need." - Allison Griswold

First world problems - Lifeteen

"Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven." 
-St. Rose of Lima

“It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love.”

“It is when we attempt to avoid suffering by withdrawing from anything that might involve hurt, when we try to spare ourselves the effort and pain of pursuing truth, love, and goodness, that we drift into a life of emptiness, in which there may be almost no pain, but the dark sensation of meaninglessness and abandonment is all the greater.”   - Pope BXVI

Words of Life

John 6: 64-68

"After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

Probably one of my favorite responses to Jesus. It says so much.

1. Jesus is Lord. They recognize who He is.
2. They know their place is to follow Him wherever He leads.
3. And they trust that where He leads is good.

Its so easy to judge all who were in the crowd that left, and to think, “They knew better. They’ve walked with him, they’ve seen the signs and miracles. They’ve witnessed His love and heard what he had preached. They should’ve remained with Him. They knew better.

But then I look at my own life, and I remember all the times I have failed to follow. And I can say the same thing. I knew better.

And a lot of days, I wake up and find myself in this place. I experience Christ, and yet…it’s like I’m still not fully following. I pick and choose when to follow in trust and when to go my own way.

How can we remain in Him and be dissatisfied? This is sin. This is the sin from which all sin came to be..the sin of the first man and woman. It is also one that grips us, whether we realize it or not. Our hearts don’t hope in Him sometimes…

But moments like these, we can unite ourselves to Peter's words. We, too, can recognize who He is, know our place, and trust in his unfailing goodness. We were made by Him and for Him. Where else could we find fulfillment? We could never look elsewhere to increase a joy that is only found in Him.

- God, break these walls and uproot whatever in me needs to be uprooted. Be my cornerstone.