People are starving….starving for a love they’ve never known. Thirsty for life giving water. DESPERATE to have purpose. In a world that is becoming darker and darker, the light within Christians should be becoming brighter and brighter.

Every day I see people craving for something more in life, trying to understand the world around them and discover their place in it. It squeezes my heart knowing what they are missing out on. I want people to love life, to have fun! I want people to taste freedom, to flourish in the center of their purpose, and to live for the amazing God I know. Kirby and I have recently made a decision to start moving into a whole new dimension of our purpose by being more intentional about sharing the good gifts we’ve been given.

In Matthew 25:14-28 is the parable of the talent. It tells the story about a master giving talents (coin) to three men. Two of the men invested and traded and received more back to return to the master. The third man hid his in the ground afraid to lose it. When this man returns to the master, he digs up the talent the master had given him and returns it back to him. The master took away what he had and gave it to others. Why? Because he had done nothing with it. The master in this parable represents God. This brought me to a place of asking myself, “What am I doing with the talents given to me?” Better yet, what am I doing with the gift of salvation given to me? If our mindset is of the man who buried his talent, I hate to say it, but we are missing it.

Throughout the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John) we hear a similar phrase when it came to Jesus performing a miracle or healing, “He was moved with compassion“. Let’s be moved with compassion. Let’s be a conduit for the Holy Spirit to flow through. Stepping outside of ourselves, because it’s worth it. It’s worth it! You have no idea how a small gesture can affect someone. In one of my latest blogs I shared how I made Christmas cards in college for people whom I felt were overlooked. One of those people was the cashier at the University of Missouri’s Plaza 900 dining hall. In his card, I thanked him for always smiling and being positive (and honestly I don’t remember what else). Months later, as I was sitting in the dining hall, I was approached by a young employee, she explained to me that my card to the cashier had changed her life. She went on to tell me that she had been an atheist and since reading my card had given her life to Christ (can someone say shivers?) Wow.

Stepping out in faith is a big deal. Asking someone if you can pray for them can definitely be scary. If we are afraid to fail though, we will never do anything. I personally struggle with a fear of failure. Fear of not getting things done perfectly or messing it up. Sometimes I see opportunities to minister, but I have my checklist to complete, a long list of groceries to get, and dinner to make. Pondering on all this the other day, I thought, Sydney seriously, are you too busy for one moment from your routine that could spark a chain reaction in the life of a person potentially affecting their destiny…I’m talking about changing the course of their life from eternal destruction to eternal life with God like the girl at the dining hall. Can we not take a moment to step away from our routines to make a point of loving someone, to pray with someone, to bless someone, or even simply smile at someone? People are craving to know the true God to see His Kingdom working on earth…to experience love and hope for maybe the first time. Why are we so afraid?

Our desire to be accepted and to not offend people causes us to dim our own light; afraid to step out in faith. We become offended by those who are different than us and turned off, so we seclude ourselves, encasing ourselves in our Christian circles where it’s comfortable and safe, afraid to encounter the lost. Jesus wasn’t afraid friends. He met people where they were and ministered love.

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the righteous. but sinners to repentance.” – Matthew 9:13

Our life on this earth compared to eternity is tiny. What are we doing with it?

“For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” – James 4:14

SIDE BAR: I’m definitely not advocating forcing religion on people. (This isn’t love) I am talking about relationship. I’m talking about LOVE that is alive. I’m talking about LIFE to the fullest and running over. I’m talking about transformation. I’m not promoting flaring at people, scaring them and being weird. (Jesus wasn’t weird!) Trust me, I’ve been encountered by the forceful, the  weird, the creepy, and the condemning person, and let me tell you…they didn’t make me want to be like them….at all. In fact, it made me want to run in the opposite direction. It’s heart wrenching to see people swimming away from the life raft thrown to them and swimming straight towards death. I was this person once, and this is why I’m so passionate about sharing the true character of God to people.

It’s the goodness of God that leads people to repentance (Romans 2:4) God is about relationship. God is about YOU –  He cares about what you care about – He’s not afraid or intimidated by your dirt – He loves you. God put all of his judgment on Jesus. Jesus is now down on one knee proposing eternal life to us, waiting with anticipation and hopeful eyes of love for our response. It’s now up to us to step into this grace by saying yes to Him.

I want to walk out life in such love and victory and freedom that people actually WANT what I have. God has promises for everything we need to live this life. For prosperity, divine health, joy, peace, love, forgiveness, freedom…everything! I want to represent the true character of Jesus and His word – meeting people where they are and having courage to step out in compassion and love .People are craving truth, desperately needing hope.  I want people to encounter Jesus when they see me, to encounter love, hope and truth. Don’t you?