A Step of Faith

It is amazing how much our entire lives rest in the balance of our experiences in our first few years of life.  The amount that we are held as a child, the way our parents treated us, and the memories that were made became buried deep in our subconscious to be brought to the surface at the slightest incident.  As human beings, we are very fragile.  Many of us, over years of hurt and neglect, build up walls to protect ourselves from the world, but it never completely works.  We may shut out a few bad people, but in the long run we also shut out the good onees who want to encourage and love us as well.  It is hard to open up and be vulnerable with others because we have been hurt so much in the past.  To take the step to trust in someone as fallible as we know ourselves to be is incredibly difficult.  But it is a risk we need to take.

As as Christian, we cannot expect to experience a close, intimate fellowship with God unless we experience close, intimate fellowship with the people in our lives.  When Jesus Christ went to the cross to die for our sins He took the ultimate step of vulnerability in His relationship with us.  He essentially said, "I love you  and I am willing to do whatever it takes to show you how much."  He risked our rejection in His desire to be close to us.  But aren't you so incredibly glad that He did?!  He chose the joy of being intimate with those of us who choose to love and accept Him, at the cost of the humiliation that He received on the cross.  He calls us to be like Him, even in this. 

We need to step out, risk rejection, and conquer the fear of what others might think of us and be vulnerable and honest with one another.  The joy of the relationships we will have that are pure and godly are worth all of the effort.  Let's face it, when Christ was on earth, his whole ministry and life revolved around relationships.  And that is our's are to be as well.  Maybe you can think of someone right now that you have been meaning to talk to or ask out for coffee... do it!  That person most likely may be needing a good friend right now as much as you.