the Blood of Christ shed

When I was first thinking about starting this blog there were a lot of stories running through my mind that I would want to tell people, and most of them still haven't gone much farther than my journal. But this is one that I was reminded of the other day and I just felt it fitting to share now.

Last year I was one of the college student leaders at my church in college and as such I got to help with Communion services (among other things of course). I held the cup and with each person that came I would say "The blood of Christ shed for you";

to every person who came.

People I loved

people I couldn't seem to stand

people who seemed like they would rub me the wrong way

people who seemed really cool

people I had never seen before and would never see again this side of heaven

everyone, The blood of Christ shed for you

Chris danced while waiting his turn

Patrick looked at me the wrong way

one guy took gum out of his mouth and then put it back in after chewing on the bread a minute

One girl just stood there, almost like she was waiting for me to give instructions

most peple didn't do anything out of the ordinary, but as I looked into their eyes I knew they all had a story

people would look me right in the eye while I smiled and would smile right back, with real smiles; two guys I had never seen before and who didn't really seem to fit into the overall picture of this service gave me 2 of the most sincere smiles I have ever seen.

The blood of Christ shed for you

Everyone in that service was completely different, and that's the way it should be. Why think that all Christians should fit into one certain mold? God can't be put into a box (as soon as you think you've got God figured out you've completely misses Him), how could we (who were made in His own image) be put into a box?

The blood of Christ shed for you, no matter who you are

It is said that the church (God's body, not the building) is meant to comfort the uncomfortable and to make uncomfortable those who are comfortable. I've always agreed with that statement but I had never really thought about how they both can be true for the same person at the same time; until today.
I have had the great honor and blessing to know people who I am nothing like at all, and yet they make me feel so at home. How can people be so different and have such big differences in ideas and beliefs and yet still love each other? because they've learned what the most important thing is in life, their relationship to God and their relationship to others through God. Knowing that you have at least that in common can break down all barriers, all that other stuff is what God is teaching YOU He doesn't teach all your friends the same thing at the same time.
I believe that it is possible (and should happen) for you to feel at home with people you have nothing in common with except for your love and devotion to God.
I love being in a community filled with different people who love and accept each other FOR (not in spit of ) their differences; it's comforting. But it's also uncomfortable because everyone obviously has their own view of things and eveyone thinks that they are right. It takes knowledge and wisdom to know what you believe and why and to be able to stand up for those beliefs while still showing love to those who see things differently than you. It also takes courage (especially for someone like me who doesn't like conflict) to be able to talk with people who have their own ideas; to really see why they think what they think and why you think what you think.

No matter who we are

what we look like

what side we take on issues

the blood of Christ shed for YOU, for US

May we never forget