John 15:17 “This is my command: love each other.”
Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens…”
Colossians 3:12-14 “Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved…bear with each
other and forgive one another…and over all these virtues put on love…”
It’s funny that as a Christian, I know all these verses, but I still find that it has been difficult to live it. No, the difficult part is not loving others…it’s letting others love me. I find it easy to be the giver, but when it comes to my own struggles, I find it hard to share them. “No, it’s too embarrassing…” “No, it’s such a small thing…” “No, I have to pull my own weight.” It’s a pride issue, really. I don’t want to be that weak one that needs others. I don’t want to admit I have such a struggle.
As month three rolled by on the World Race, I knew that if I wanted to change, I needed to start opening up. God has placed me on a team of people with such wisdom and love. I had the choice to pretend I was doing all right…or to be vulnerable and show that I need help, and receive the help and encouragement I need.
Our team name is Deep Roots, which means we want to go deep with each other. I think I realized, being on my first team, that I don’t have as much time as I think. If I don’t open up today, then I’ll keep postponing it, and postponing it, and soon eight months will pass by and I’ll wonder where the time has gone.
So, this time around, let us make the effort to go deep. And I realize now that it does take effort. If my teammates ask me what is wrong, and I say “nothing”, how are they going to be able to help me? And if my teammates serve me by asking me to share my testimony first, and I feel pumped and ready for it but still refuse, will an opportunity like it ever come by again?
So this time around, I do share my testimony, and I do share my thoughts, and I do ask for help. And amazingly, joyfully, each time my teammates have been there to catch me, to encourage me, to tell me my true identity in Christ, and correct me where I have been thinking wrong.
So please, my teammates…catch me when I fall. But first, let me have the courage to jump.
Team Deep Roots has a group hair-wash after delicing all the kids' hair!
