Do you REALLY believe?

Thanks to everyone for making the discussion so good last night. We first talked about how everyone matters, each of us has value. It is so cool when everyone is real, when we are not focusing on externals (either complementing looks OR making fun of looks), but rather focusing on internals (integrity, compassion, purity, etc.). I pray for more conviction in all of us to look at the heart, not the outward person.

Then we learned about loving ourselves - “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller shares how he had a problem with negative self-talk, telling himself that he was a loser, and not being able to receive love from people. The breakthrough came when he realized that he would never talk to his neighbor the way that he talked to himself! Then he realized that it couldn’t be wrong to “receive love” because someone had to give it before you could receive it, and God definitely wants us to give love, so therefore he must want us to be able to receive love.

And receiving love might be the most important thing we ever learn! Not only will it affect all of our relationships here on earth, but receiving love will also let us enjoy the best relationship that we could ever want… a friendship with God.

A final thought to leave you with. Most of us who have been in this “Christianity thing” for awhile know that God loves us. We know it – but do we believe it? Does the fact that God loves us shape how we live? Have we experienced his love? Have you experienced God’s love? Really experienced it? Would you be willing to post your experience?