{God-sized Dreams} Love the Lord, Love your neighbor

Easter 2013.

We are going to see the two thieves that hung on crosses on Calvary next to Jesus in heaven.

And you know what? They weren't baptized. They didn't tithe. They didn't teach Sunday school or volunteer in the hundreds of other ways churches need. They didn't set out to share the gospel.

But you know what else? We get to. We get to make public expressions of our faith. We get to give away our money, time and talents. We get to tell about how Jesus saved us. We get to bring glory to God here on earth.

I'm not much for theological debates. But lately I've found myself wondering how some people can believe one thing about baptism and other congregations hold fast to another practice. I was baptized as an infant, became a Christian in high school, was baptized in college, and have heard so many different ways this symbolic dunking {or sprinkling ...} has happened in others' lives. Honestly, I was discouraged last week about this topic.

But then when I was watching a pageant about Jesus' life, I realized those thieves weren't even baptized because they chose to follow Jesus to his Father in the final moments of their life. And Jesus said they would be in paradise with him.

It may be a simple faith, but in that moment I remembered these rules and practices about baptism {or substitute another theological divisive issue} doesn't matter. To debate can distract me from the glory of God. I fell victim to an internal debate last week that wasn't even necessary. It caused tears, an over-reaction, and an argument with my husband and then stole the joy I should have expressed.

In this week's dream post, Holley Gerth asks this:

We’ve talked a lot about "what" your dream is and now it’s time to tackle the "why" behind it. Why is your dream worth pursuing, fighting for and seeing through no matter what happens? 

I dream of writing and promoting while embracing God as the author of it all. I dream of adopting again. And I dream of being a wife and mom first before the tasks that clutter my to-do list.

That's the what.

But why?

It's all worth it because Jesus died on a cross and invited the neighboring criminals to heaven with him. Those of us who have already decided to follow Jesus to His Father have a chance to make that news known.

We can give and share and dream. We can discuss and debate and then walk away friends because it's not really about us anyway. We can learn and grown as we're perfected through our experiences.

We can decide how to make God known in our everyday lives. 

Maybe that means being dunked in water. Maybe that means raising your hands to songs that express thoughts you hadn't put into words yet. Maybe that means giving away money, spending your time helping others, or volunteering at a food pantry. Maybe that means writing a book.

The plans {read: dreams} God has for our lives vary because he created us each to be unique. Seek the creator and author of it all and you'll find where he wants you to do what he has called you to do. And where you are won't look just like where your parents, your best friend, those moms you admire, and your neighbor are.

But in whatever we do, we should come back to what Jesus called the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "Love your neighbor as yourself." {Matthew 22:34-40}

That should be the why for all the whats in our lives. 
________
 Tuesdays are God-sized Dream days around here and I'm linking this post along with many, many other dreamers on Holley Gerth's blog. You'll find encouragement, truth and community there.

I'm also linking up with Soli Deo Gloria Party at Finding Heaven Today. 

{Edited on Wednesday, April 3} I was going to write a new post for #TellHisStory that Jennifer Dukes Lee hosts for storytellers, but I decided to link this post. It's one of those I wrote for myself as much as anyone reading it, so I want to soak it up a little longer. Plus, really, doesn't that picture of those sweet kinds walking to plant daffodil bulbs just scream "Spring"? 

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