At Ease

"we shall be like Him"

1 John 3:2

My Awesome Girl had a friend over last weekend.  I'll call her Emily.  We've met Emily a couple of times, but usually it's when the high-schoolers are all doing something together, so it's just a quick "hi" at drop off or pick up.   But on Saturday the girls were here all day, baking cupcakes and teaching each other chords on their ukuleles. 

Yeah, they both have ukuleles.  What are the odds?

Then we had dinner and watched a movie.  It was a very fun, relaxed day. 

But the thing that stood out to me was how completely comfortable I felt with Emily.  The girls weren't hiding in out the bedroom all day, they were hanging out with us, laughing and chatting with each other, without seeming self-conscious at all.

And frankly, I felt the same way.  Sometimes it's hard to have a guest in the house.  I feel like I can't relax, can't be myself.  I worry that they're going to judge the fact that something needs dusting, or that I have a stack of papers that need to be graded or clean clothes I haven't put away yet. 

But Emily had such a fun and friendly way about her, I felt immediately comfortable.  She helped make dinner, she had input on what movie to watch, and our cat spent a large part of the evening in her lap. 

I praise God for people like Emily.  Some people just have a way of putting others at ease, making them feel relaxed.  I imagine that's how Jesus was, when He was on earth.  I think He could sit right down with those who were lonely or frightened or needy.  I think that's why He drew people to Him; why they followed Him and wanted to be around Him.   

We all have something to offer.  Some way in which we are like Him.  We may not know what it is, or what others are seeing in us, but if we are striving to live for Him, His Spirit will shine through us.

~ "By this all men will know that you are My disciples;

if you love one another" ~ 

John 13:35

~