The Gift of People

Several weeks ago while I was driving to work, 

I was just praying and chatting with God. 

When all of a sudden He just hit me with an overwhelming thankfulness for people. 

And not just like the "awe compassion their soul matters" thankfulness.

That compassion is SO vital.

But that's not what I felt.

It was this... just a simple thankfulness for the people who are in my life.

All of the people.

The people who are hard to love, easy to love, confusing, shady, open.

The kind who rub me wrong, the kind who post annoying statuses, the good looking ones, the awkward ones.

All of them.

All of this because He showed me that for us to be alive, first of all, is nothing short of a crazy outrageous miracle,

But that when He gave us each other, it was a gift of His mercy.

Walking with the Lord is a continuous path of growth.

 Most of my growing has come from being around people. 

 People that I didn't like and it built character.

 People I did like and I gleaned from, easily.

People that could do something I couldn't and at first it discouraged me so maybe I envied them or pushed them away but then the Lord exposed my heart and I humbled myself and learned from them… eventually.

Men who I liked but didn't like me back, and it revealed my fears and insecurities, not just to expose me, no but so the Lord could come and heal me and become the security He so rightfully deserves.

Customers that keep you late at work and you're frustrated but when they finally are leaving, you don’t even want them to and they ask to pray with you. 

And they end up being a massive blessing.

Or the friends who momma you even though you hate it in the moment, but later are so thankful you listened.

Or the friends who at the end of the day, you don't know how they still like you after you've just oozed all your ugly things on them.

And they just listened and called you higher.

Or even the step parent who was so cruel to you, but in it, hopefully, you learned radical forgiveness. 

Not that any of these actions are "right" or "wrong" no, but that these actions cause a response in you.

These scenarios are perfect soil for your growth.

Either you complain and fight the lesson being demanded of you and it comes back around later until you get it.

Or you become pliable and allow the Lord to teach you.

I'm just learning that people are an overwhelming gift from God.

His mercy is in giving us one of the greatest gifts... each other.

We are gifts to one another.

People are little cutting tools that the Lord has put around us to cut off things in our life. 

The things that are holding us back in our growth.