Never would I have guessed that I would learn how to lay cement, stucko a wall, level ground, sew ipod cases, wash clothes in a river, put up a tent in the pitch dark and so much more. What do I do with all these random things I now know how to do? Will they be useful in the future? Knowing how God works…they probably will be and they can make for good stories.
It makes me think of the apostle Paul and how he determined to become all things to all men. I Corinthians 9:22…….”I have become all things to all men, that I may by ALL MEANS save some.” ( capitalized emphasis added). I have never had a desire to skate board. Actually I have avoided it, which is rare, because I will try anything. But something about it was never appealing. Maybe it is the constant falling and the scraping of flesh that turned me away. 🙂
But this month for two hours every day I sit and watch/participate/ and hang out with skaters. Some of the guys have given me lessons. They have some mad skills I, on the other hand, am horrible!! I look like a fool.
Just today a guy asked if we would go surfing with him. These invitations to relate are what we want! We want to get into these people lives and learn about them and share with them. But when he asked me I paused because my heart cried, “please no, not again!” But my mouth said “yes I would love to”. Now this wasn’t a lie was it? I guess it was spoken from what I love. I would love to hang out and do what you love to do because I want to show you I care and will enter your world. But I sure don’t like to surf for the love of surfing. Because God has lavished His love on me I can say with Paul, ” Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.” I Thess. 2:8.
Here is the thing, we get to do things we would never imagine we would do. People say God is boring, hahaha that makes me laugh. I say, “Well you need to get to know Him bc He is anything but boring. You want an adventure…just try God for a day and see what happens!!”
If I was asked theoretically if I would surf and skateboard just for the fun of it, I would say NEVER would I do that! But when just the right opportunity comes, God can change my heart and suddenly, I would LOVE to. Not because I have a new found love for this thing, but I have a love for the people. He gives us such a huge passion for His people that we would do anything with them that is legal and/or moral.
Me, trying to learn…slow and steady.
Now surfing or skate boarding really isnt that horrible (just a little horrible :)). There are many worse things in the world. But isn’t it cool when we get invited to go into other peoples world, learn new things that show more of God’s creativeness and have opportunities to appreciate others’ passions?
