Shared Lives

The Church Is Living Proof of The love of God

Sunday morning and Pastor Matthew is eating a bowl of pudding. MMM delicious he says, my tummy growls and my mouth waters. Chocolate, vanilla what kind....oh yeah I should be listening...

The proof is in the pudding ,says he. Proof? 

It's not enough to just look at that bowl of pudding, you must taste it and if you want others to enjoy it , share it.

Christianity is only real when shared.

What keeps us from sharing in the life of the Church or others?

1. Too busy. Yup guilty as everyone else.  I was actually offended the other day when someone cut the line in front of me at the grocery store...because you see they were busy they said. And I thought what am I chopped liver? And then I said to myself, get a grip I don't know their story, maybe they had an emergency? It's only a food line up, my turns coming. Go ahead , no worries. As a matter of fact I now make it a habit to look for people that really look troubled and let them in front of me in the line up.

I don't do this to brag, but I know everyone has a schedule, everyone has a story.

Everyone is busy. And you know this small change for me has lead to countless strangers sharing their troubled world with me. There's lot of pain out there.

In our community , in the grocery store in the line up.

2. Shared lives are difficult. Yup they are. If everyone just had the same thoughts, likes and dislikes, piece of cake.

And if everyone could see that life would be easier if they just agreed with what I said...

oops did I just put that in writing?

We are uniquely and beautifully made each one so different. So it takes time to invest in each other. It takes time to get to know each other and yes like each other. Shared community it's demanded of us from God.

Real happiness only comes when it's shared.

I was asked yesterday if I enjoy cooking?

And my reply was no actually I don't . 

I cook because I love what my cooking does. It brings family and friends together to enjoy eating.

It brings together joy and laughter and tears.

It peeks into another persons life and says how are you doing?

It says hello I want to do life with you.

It says there is a welcome here.

Put up your feet and be served.

Why? Because I really love you and want you to know that.

And because I need you in my life. 

Proof is in the pudding? Can you taste it?