You and Me Too.

There seems to be some sort of background noise that is disrupting the sound of truth coming from the speakers. While you can just as easily listen to the music through the noise, think of how much richer it would be if that background static was silenced. You could here the clave, the bass, the wind chimes. What a beautiful song it would turn out to be when everything else is quiet. 

For now, I want to silence the background noise and sit in the truth with you. 

Even if just for a moment. 

Has the inner-voice ever told you that you don't matter? That you have no purpose? That you don't bring anything good to the table? me too.
Has the conversation-with-self ever gone a little like this:

"wow these people are so great and here I am not giving anything worthwhile."

me too.

When I was younger, I was taught to deny self and put others first. I was taught that the most important thing was to be humble and have no pride. What I heard, though, was, "You are a lowly servant to those around you. They mean everything and you mean nothing." Do you see how easily the enemy can twist the truth? Jesus does say to deny yourself and follow Him [Luke 9:23], but that does not equate to "I am worth nothing."

but in fact it means the opposite: I am worth everything {to Jesus}.

In community, it's easy to let the scale tip too far in one direction or the other. You can make it all about yourself or you can make it about everyone but yourself.

Here recently, a sweet friend was telling me how much she loved having me in community & how I brought so much to the table. I was flattered, no doubt, but after spending time with Jesus I realized that I was so flattered because I don't necessarily believe that I bring something good to offer. I found myself thinking, "God has blessed me with such a good group of friends. I do not deserve them at all." part truth, part lie. I am blessed by God but I am deserving of community.

Does that feel weird to read? I know it does. but there has to be a point at which we stop shoving mulch in our eyes and begin to love ourselves (and letting God love us too. which is a whole other topic). We have to remind ourselves over and over that we are worthy of love, worth pursuing, worthy of a fight for our very soul.

You bring something good to community. me too.

"and if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them as he chose." 1 Corinthians12:16-18 ESV

See. He has chosen us for this. He has placed each one of us in community for a reason. We have something to offer each other. and can I tell you a secret? What you have to offer might just be yourself. It might just be your time, your listening ear, your good idea, your compassion, your empathy, or maybe your excitement to worship. This gift of yours helps complete the whole body. and what's the function of the body? to carry the glory of God wherever it goes.

But no one is going to benefit from those gifts of yours if you keep them hidden because you believe it's not worth sharing. So go on. Believe in yourself. Believe that you bring something good to your community. Call it out in one another. Bring your gifts. Take off your mask. You don't have to have it all together. and no one expects you to. Risk vulnerability. Say the hard thing.

Because your community needs it. and I think down the road you'll find that all along you needed it too.

Em