So what's your story?

I heard someone reminiscing about a friend who had recently passed away. There were actually several people reminiscing about this friend, who I did not know. They went into great detail about how he had these massive hands, and how they remember getting lost in this guy's bear-hugs. He sounded like a great listener who deeply cared about his friends. It made me wish I had met this guy.

That got me thinking. What would people say if they were reminiscing about me? What would my story be?

My hope is that people would say I lived life to the fullest. Seizing every opportunity to have fun - and to live. Most importantly I would hope people would say, "Man, that guy loved Jesus. You could tell by how he treated the people he was surrounded by".

Words I wouldn't want to be used: self-centered, complainer, or boring.

I don't think we should walk around worrying about what people think about us. This can be consuming and a lot of times I think it can lead to self-fulfilling prophesy. It's a very trapped way to live. There's no freedom there.

Maybe it means we should live by example. This may be watching how a mentor or friend loves on people, or looking at the way Jesus lived.

Paul gives us a pretty good mantra in Colossians. Colossians 3:12 says:

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience"


In verse 13 he says we should also forgive one another, as we have been forgiven. I think the most important part of verse 12 is that we are holy and beloved. Beloved is one of my favorite words. It totally encompasses who we are in Christ. Totally and fully beloved. The dearest to His heart. Jesus climbed down from his heavenly ladder to show us this. Totally manifested on the Cross.

A lot of times when I talk to people going through a hard time what I hear isn't that their situation or circumstances are tough. What I hear is that they don't understand that they are beloved. They are fully loved and accepted just as they are.

Once we begin to truly believe we are beloved, the compassionate heart will follow. It will pour out and overflow in our daily conversations and interactions. It takes the emphasis off ourselves, and gives us a chance to live outwardly.

This is a lot easier said than done. Especially when we are constantly being lied to about this truth. We are told that we need to work harder and be better people. We get entangled in the world and how we measure up.

That's a bunch of crap. Come as you are - beloved. The rest will follow.