Social Security

I am so thankful for all the relationships God has given me.  I am also thankful that I can pour love into people and feel rewarded, no matter what their response is.  It can be tempting for all of us to sometimes focus on how people respond to us.  If it is positive, we can fall in love with their love for us.  If it is negative, we can feel rejected, betrayed, hurt.  But, as pastor Dave Hansen says,

Love for people must be differentiated from love of the experience of people.  Some pastors love the experience of being around people. ... Love of the experience of people is beneficial, but it is not a necessary personality characteristic.  There are pitfalls for the pastor who loves the experience of people.  It is easy to confuse loving being around people to actually loving people.  The two are very different.  Love of the experience of people is a form of self-gratification.  Love of people requires compassion.

I enjoy the experience of people.  I am a social person who enjoys being around people (although I also really enjoy being alone).  But I am most thankful for being able to just love people regardless of whether they respond or not.  Just caring for people can be very empowering.  I can't make someone like me and sometimes, no matter how hard I try, some just don't want to respond to love.  But no one can take away my love for them.  Agape (unconditional) love, the Bible tells us, never fails.  To be able to love those around me, and to express that love to them regardless of their attitude or reaction to me, is a great security.  No one can steal my love.  No one can cheat me out of it nor betray it.  It doesn't rely on them and so they can't affect it.  That is true "Social Security."

When you feel lonely or disconnected, love others, not because you want a response, but because when you allow God's unconditional love to flow through you, you are filled with an understanding and experience of that great love that God has poured out on you.  No matter how you are treated or received, loving others, no matter what, gives great security!

***Personal Note:  To the reader who dropped me an email the other day through the blog.  I was so glad to hear from you but your email address didn't work so I was unable to respond to you.  If you could please get in touch with a working email address, I would love to correspond more.  Thanks!  :)