Learning to Love and Be Loved
// November 25th, 2009 // Uncategorized
Sometimes we see things we don’t understand. Sometimes the way we have always reacted to something suddenly seems wrong. Sometimes we grow, change and come to know God more, and that is a good thing.
Last week I visited an orphanage for children with disabilities. As I walked in, I asked God to open my heart to the kids there. I think most of our natural reaction (I know mine has always been) in those kinds of situations is to feel blessed. That day something just felt wrong about feeling humbled and blessed and in the back of my mind saying “I’m glad that isn’t me.” Because on some level, that is what we are really saying isn’t it? I’m not saying there is something wrong with being humbled and appreciating all the blessings God has given us, but I think if it stops there, we have a serious problem.
In order to love these kids, I couldn’t make myself feel better than them. I’m not better. I’m just different. Those kids are just how God made them and so are you. He just made us to serve him differently on this Earth, but in the end, for the same purpose, to know him. Something just felt right about loving these kids and wrong about feeling sorry for them.
Do I understand why God made those kids that way? Nope, but there are lots of things I don’t understand. As I talked with God and hung out with the kids, He told me He loved them and if He loved them, I shouldn’t feel sorry for them but love them as He loves them.
In the end, I think God was telling me He loves me. Just the way I am he loves me. With all my faults and failures he loves me. Not because of anything I have done. Not because of any talents or abilities I have. He gave me all of those anyway. He loves me just as He loves those kids because he formed us for his purposes and knew us before we were born.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed and leave a comment!
4 Responses to “Learning to Love and Be Loved”
Leave a Reply
My videos. Featured videos.
Send Me! Barahona 2008 from Chris Sullivan on Vimeo.
My lifestream. Stay updated with me.
Yesterday |
|
|---|---|
|
RT @NickKristof: Our hearts go out to the families of 6 World Vision employees executed today in Pakistan http://nyti.ms/9bh4wS [chrissulli]
|
|
|
New blog post: My Illusion of Security http://www.chrissulli.com/my-illusion-of-security/ [chrissulli]
|
March 9th |
|
|
|
The library actually has some pretty sweet resources. Who would have thunk it? [chrissulli]
|
|
|
And the mock trial verdict: one guilty one not guilty [chrissulli]
|
|
|
Heading to the court house to be in the jury for an academy prep mock trial. [chrissulli]
|
Powered by Lifestream from iBegin.
annettetaylor
Ashleigh
katdish
stephenbateman
Candy
Interesting thoughts. I think I feel more sorry for them being orphans than for them having disabilities, you know what I mean?
I went to a girls orphanage the next day where I think they were actually a lot better off than most of the kids I have seen here with parents.
I feel like a lot of lessons I learn come from children. I always tend to ask "why?" as one of the first questions when I see or hear something I don't understand but am starting to see more and more that there might not always be an answer to that question.
I've gotten past the "whys" I think. I'm sure we'll know someday, but until then, I trust and do my level best to strengthen my faith. Those children were so blessed with your presence.