Pro-Life

   I'm not going to continue with what I was talking about in my last blog. It was pretty much a ramble about my life anyway :) I've been reading this book that a friend of mine has been telling me to read for years. It's called "The Ragamuffin Gospel" By Brennan Manning and it is phenomenal! It has made me think so much.

     The premise to it is basically about how we are prone to not truly accept God's love and forgiveness. That's something I have struggled with for years. I tend to think that yes God is faithful and loving... But I don't deserve it. How incredibly silly of me to think that an all powerful God could be limited by something as trivial as my worthiness. God loves and forgives me because that is His very nature and He cannot be untrue to who He is. It is not because I deserve it. It won't change because I don't deserve it. It is how it is because of who He is.

     That isn't even the point of this blog. I've talked so much in these blogs about my relationships and how I view relationships in general and this book has made me think. It has even convicted me of so much where relationships are concerned. One thing that really got me was this quote...

      "We are not pro-life simply because we are warding off death. We are pro-life to the extent that we are men and women for others, all others; to the extent that no human flesh is a stranger to us; to the extent that we can touch the hand of another in love; to the extent that to us there are no others." 

     I am most definitely pro-life. I know and love children who could have been disposed of because they were unplanned. I cherish these children and can't imagine a life without them. The way I believe in this aspect affects a lot of my political choices and day to day choices. A big part of what I want to do is give children like this a chance at life. But something I haven't really thought a lot about is how "Pro-life" I am with all people in general. Do I love people truly? Do I weep when anyone is lost? Do I feel anything at all for human kind? Yes I desire to help those I know. I desire to help people that can't help themselves…but what about the people who can help themselves? What about the people who I don't understand as well. Do I even pursue a relationship with them? 

     Awhile back when Osama Bin Laden was killed and the nation was rejoicing I found myself torn. Yes I was happy that the world was rid of this terrible man's deeds. But a part of me hurt that we rejoiced... This man's soul was lost forever. My Jesus loved Him just as much as He loves me and had offered to give Him abundant life just as I have been offered. How could I rejoice when my Jesus was weeping over a lost soul? His desire was that NO ONE should perish but have everlasting life in Him.

        And not even that extreme... I tend to make snap judgments of people. I decide if people are innately good or evil just in how they look at me once. I choose whether to love someone just by how they make me feel at the time. My love is so impure and conditional and no way close to how Jesus loves.

      "Authentic faith leads us to treat others with unconditional seriousness and to a loving reverence for the mystery of the human personality."

     We are all the same but at the same time all different. We all are at the same level. We are sinners who have been offered the same pardon. But we all deal with things differently. We react differently. No one is better or worse because of their personality or their way of dealing… so maybe if we spent a little more time really listening and understanding we would be able to have meaningful relationships with people that are different than us.

     That’s another thing I’ve realized… I’m pretty bad at relationships in general. I’m becoming a bad listener these days because my own mind is too busy. I don’t listen well even to the people that I care about the most. I talk a lot I just don’t listen. Listening is probably a key part about caring about people, just a guess.

     The point of this blog has been and continues to be a way for me to process. I think so very much and this has proved to be an excellent way for me to organize my thoughts. I have shared a lot about me and just the way I am viewing life these days. I am so confused on so many points yet so enlightened on others. I’m learning how to treat people and learning better ways to react to how I am treated. I guess I am just seeking better understanding and patience. I am seeking to be a better listener. I am not seeking to be perfect… I know that Christ is the only one who can accomplish that and in Him I am already seen that way. Not that I just go out and do what I want but, out of my love for Him, I seek His will. I hope these posts are somehow beneficial to you as well J Until next time.

                     All Quotes use in this Blog are from The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning.