so when i used to live in japan, i got my haircut from this japanese-american guy down the street on which i lived. i grew up with him and began to trust him. i walked by everyday to the busstop and waved hi to him. while getting haricuts, i remember asking him with genuine interest, "why did you want to be a hair cutter?" i dont remember his response but it was those genuine conversations that i had with him that made him so memorable. i genuinely wanted to get to know him for the sake of knowing him and learning about him.
i now look at myself, and how i have progressed as an individual, and i can barely call it progress. whether it be done consciously or not, i find that i push myself to get to know ppl for completely wrong reasons. i get to know them because they are popular. because they have what i want. they want what i have. if they dont have these things, i dont bother. its become so ungenuine and artificial, that quite frankly, ive perverted the whole idea of what it means to get to know someone, the whole concept of relationship. that what ive become, a young child with a pure and loving heart, with innocent motives, to a self driven and close minded college student. God calls us to show love both generously and genuinely. i dont want to limit my love to those who i benefit from, but really takes God's example and be bountiful with love. James 2 teaches us to not show favoritism:
"If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"
James 2:3-4
its such a simple idea, but its so hard to follow, but who said following Jesus' path was easy. He so generously poured out his love to a gentile, for his love is colorblind and overflowing. i want to take this pure and genuine love, and apply it to how i treat others.
From Jaeson Ma's song "Love is selfless not selfish. Love is God and God is love. / Love is when you lay down your life for another / Whether for your brother, your mother, your father or your sister / Its even laying down your life for your enemies, / That's unthinkable, but think about that".
Dear God, your love is so bountiful. so overwhelming, so generous. yet here i am, standing selfishly and taking it all for myself. who am i to do that. i pray for a willing heart, to pour out a torrent of blind love to my community, to my peers and my enemies. i know it wont be easy, so please Lord, guide me in the right direction. i have been placed in my exact location because u have a specific job for me. In Jesus' name. Amen
visited this past summer. looks exactly the same from when i was a kid. lol.
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