That person...

That person…
 
Maybe we have…maybe we have never met that person. 

Consider with me for a second; that coach, teacher, leader, parent, friend, coworker, or family member…you know, that person in our life that is:

Encouraging, and our biggest cheerleader no matter what…

Accepting of our weirdness because they see it as unique and special…

Rooting for us even when others root against us…

Forgiving every single time we mess up and fall short…

Friends with everyone, not because they have to but because they want to…

Inspiring with their unconditional love and compassion to everyone they meet…

I think about that person in my own life – some former coaches, some former teachers, my friends, my aunts & uncles, my grandparents, my parents, and my sister – at one point or another, they’ve all taken their turn as that person.  They’ve made me feel good about life.

Then I wonder…have I ever been that person to someone else? 

When I’m struggling or feeling down, I wonder how I can get fired up and make things exciting again…fun again…fulfilling again. Don’t you?  Who wants to stay down, frustrated, and worried? Nobody.

Who needs encouragement, acceptance, forgiveness, friends, & inspiration?  We all do. 

When we take the focus off of the person in the mirror and actively pursue opportunities to be that person to someone else, it’s amazing what happens.  It’s like magic.   

All of a sudden, in our pursuit to be that person for others, we’re the ones that feel encouraged, accepted, forgiven, inspired, and before we know it, we can’t keep up with all of our friends…because we have so many.

I have good news.  We all have that person in our lives.  We even have the blueprint, the playbook, and the answers to the test on how we can be just like Him. 

Jesus is that person.  And the playbook is the Bible.

So if you haven’t run into that person in a while, or if you haven’t felt the magic…just say hello.  He’s there.  He’s here.  And He’s in love with us, all of us.  No really, like…ALL of humanity.  That’s you…and that’s me. 

The best part:

All the good that person brings us, and all the good you and I can be for others…it’s all free.  It doesn’t cost a thing.  True story.  Though we don’t deserve it, we’re blessed with it.  Loving people “in spite of” and “anyway” as opposed to “because of” is the essence of grace.

That’s who Jesus is.  He is so that person…and you and I can be that person to the people in our lives when we focus on Him, loving Him, and simply being more like Jesus is.

One for the road…a quick book review

Judah Smith, lead pastor at The City Church in Kirkland, WA is one of the most dynamic, engaging pastors I’ve ever had the fortune of experiencing live or even online.  

I enjoy watching his sermons online, via their church’s website, www.TheCity.org.  He’s funny. He’s relatable (because he’s my age), he’s passionate, and he has a unique ability to illustrate what the Bible says.  His style resonates with everyday people like you and me.

Judah’s new book, Jesus is_______. Find a New Way to Be Human launches at the end of the month, and it’s already available for pre-order.  I recently signed up to help Judah and his team spread the word about the book. I’ve already read it, cover to cover. 

Two pages into the book, during the Forward, written by pro golfer and 2012 Masters Champion, Bubba Watson, I had already laughed and cried.   

Judah goes on, in the book, sharing stories and illustrations – from his high school days to his journey at The City Church; from the gospels of Matthew and Mark to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson; from referencing “the deep intellectual thinker, Weird Al Yankovic” to quoting “theologians”, Jeff Foxworthy, George Burns, and Jerry Seinfeld.  Yet he frames it all beautifully, showing us, teaching us, entertaining us, and inspiring us with who Jesus really is.

You may ask yourself what kind of author can pull off that kind of range in story telling…and you also may be wondering who could be such an awe-inspiring topic for this type of book.  Judah can.  And Jesus is.

I highly recommend the book.  You’ll be left with not only a new understanding, but also a new inspiration for how to live the rest of your life.  It really is, as Judah’s subtitle to the book suggests, “a new way to be human.”

Have a great day.

Taylor

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