Open your hearts.......

     Still on 2 Corinthians chapter 6....verse 1 says that we work together with Him.  I am blown away by that phrase every time I read it, but moving along.  Verse 11-13 says, "We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.  In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also."  Rebellion actually restricts us, hampers us, and inhibits us.  The world believes just the opposite.  Tear off the shackles of Christianity and your emotions will be set free.  The total opposite happens.  You are no longer free to be who God made you, to express the true joy that comes from Him.
     Selfishness has hit an all time high.  It is fashionable to live only for yourself, to say no to those in need, to be only friends with those you have things in common with.  Watching a new TV show yesterday called "The Revolution," I felt bathed in new and exciting ways to say no to others that needed me, but I just couldn't be bothered with, new ways to be focused solely on myself.  To say the least it was a rather shallow program.   I understand the balance.  The balance isn't always balanced.  There are mental difficulties here, but the world seems to have gone to the opposite extreme; do all for self and if it fits in with your schedule then let someone in that enhances your beauty, your talents, and makes you feel like a star!
     Paul says be like a child.  Open your hearts, don't be restricted by fashionable selfishness.  It never brings true joy.  Yesterday at school one of my students stayed behind in class to tell me that what I wrote on her essay made her day.  She was smiling a true smile of joy.  Is it hard to reach out to teenagers that are sarcastic, crazy, loving, growing, overly sensitive, despise what they look like, think they hung the moon, love and live for comfort?  Yes, it is like reaching out to anyone else.  The descriptions of teens fit your co-workers, your relatives, and your church members.  They just have grown up in a way that they know how to hide it.

     Like many believers we are following Tim Tebow's career, because he is an outspoken believer in a world that pursues performance based perfection.  Every game on the road or away he reaches out to handicapped children, brings them to the games, sits with them, ministers to them.  He could easily concentrate on himself, being restricted by his selfish desires of fame, fortune, and success, but he takes the time to reach out to the ones that no one else wants to.  The next time you see a segment on the TV about Tim taking his time to love these kids look at his face, his countenance, and see what you see.