Hello reader friends 🙂 Here’s what I’ve been thinking about this month:
Why we do the things that we do? Namely, why do we do good things?
More specifically:
Why are we nice to people?
Why do we work really hard at our jobs?
Why do we do favors for people we love?
Why do we (in general) do what we say we’ll do?
Is it because it’s the “right thing” to do?
Because we want to prove something?
Because we want something in return?
Or is it because we don’t need to prove anything,
and we don’t expect ANYTHING in return
but because we experience the overflowing grace that comes from believing and accepting that we ourselves are loved unconditionally…
and it’s from this place that we inevitably need to give back some of the love that we have because we just know that this love is a love that’s meant to be shared?
A lot of times – more times than I care to admit really – I’m driven to do good things because I’m trying to prove (to myself or others) that I’m good and/or because I’m expecting something good in return. I forget that there’s nothing I can do to earn my way to “good,” because we’re all equally valued in God’s eyes.
Here’s what I think: if we believe that we’re loved unconditionally, at our core, by our creator (and I mean REALLY believe it), then we could hypothetically quit our jobs, throw out any and all goals, sit on the couch, eat potato chips, watch TV, and do absolutely nothing good all the live long day, for the rest of our lives… And STILL be loved by God JUST as much he loves us right this very minute. We actually have the freedom to do that.
The ironic thing for me is as soon as I remind myself of this, I’m suddenly driven more than ever to – you guessed it – do good things. Only I’m compelled to do them from a very different place now. Not because I’m trying to prove anything, or because I need anything, but because I actually have so much more good than I could ever need, and I don’t know what else to do but put it to use and try to give it back to God and his creation in some way. I’m compelled to do good because “my cup runneth over,” as they say.
A friend of mine recently shared a Rob bell quote with me… You guys probably had no idea I like Rob Bell I never mention him on here or every single day of life. Anyway, the quote went something like this:
“Everything you are striving and fighting for, you already have. So often we are working, sweating, clinging, grasping, striving to feel worthy enough and the fundamental good news, the gospel, is the announcement that you are loved exactly as you are. You don’t have to do anything. You are already a daughter of the divine. ‘You are always with me and everything I have is yours.’”
So with news like that… the question is: what sort of place will we live from in the days ahead?
A place of fear or love?
Of seeking value or adding value?
Of conditional or unconditional love?
Of lack or overflow?
The choice is ours (so I hear).
Have a great weekend, friends 🙂