I have been so extremely blessed to have to opportunity to spend my birthday in a whole new way. In case you are wondering, I had a splendid birthday full of smiles, laughs, great company, and yes, even cake! My students brought homemade cards and we were able to share cake together at the end of the day. I learned that it is tradition to be “washed” on your birthday…aka have buckets of water dumped on you. I lucked out and was able to avoid this due to football practice after school. All of the older kids had to rush out to practice, leaving me dry! This left me available to spend the afternoon playing some new games with the younger children. It was really fun and I was blown away once again by my friend, Rachel. Rachel is super sweet and is around the age of 11. She is always inviting me over to the apartment and is a very loving young woman. For my birthday she gave me a bracelet that she made, a necklace, a homemade cross that someone had given her and a bottle of lotion (because she had 2). I was blown away! I know it might sound silly to be taken aback by this, but not only was it unexpected it was an act of complete selflessness. Her actions reminded me of the passage that the students have memorized, Proverbs 23. In Proverbs 23:4, I believe is the verse, it says “Do not wear yourself out to get rich, have the wisdom to show restraint.” There are many verses in the Bible that warn us about chasing after riches and the things of this world. But seeing that we say this one everyday it stuck out in my mind right away. I constantly find myself worn down from work while back in the states. Always looking for a few more hours or how I can make a few more dollars. Sometimes it’s for completely honest things such as paying off loans or bills, but many times it’s out of pure selfishness; how much can I save up so that I can get….whatever it is that I desire at the time. I seldom seem to be able to show restraint when it comes to this. I have realized just how much I value “stuff” and how often I try to use this “stuff” to fill the void in my heart. This “stuff” is always, without a doubt, unfulfilling and meaningless; never accomplishing what I desire it to and instead leaving me miserable and empty. Looking at Rachel’s example is so inspiring to me. She hardly has anything to call her own and yet she takes from that and gladly gives to others….gives to me. It’s an understatement to say that I am touched and inspired by this act of love and generosity. God has definitely used her to remind me of the true desire of my heart: a desire to love and be loved by Him. His love and His presence is the ONLY thing that can fill me, NOTHING else will do. It is when we are completely in love with Him that we are at peace. And the love that He pours into us is so abundant that it overflows from our hearts and allows us to love one another. 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” God calls us to do many things but first and foremost He calls us to love. He calls each one of us to take up our cross and become more like Him. Sometimes I wonder what exactly that should look like, but I believe the answer is so simple… to Love. We are like Him when we love for “God IS love.” I believe that we all need to learn how to love in a pure and sincere way, just as Jesus loved us by giving us EVERYTHING, we too need to love without reserve.
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