This past Friday, before leaving the Eastern Mennonite University campus to return to Central Christian with our 8th graders, I prayed a brief prayer on the bus. I doubt if anyone else can recall the words I prayed beyond "thanks" and "safety for travel." For me, as I prayed, I reflected on what others had left us by taking time to be with us. We were taking a piece of those with whom we had had significant interaction during our visit.
Isn't that how life is? Each day we give a piece of ourselves to others, each day we receive pieces from others. We take others with us on the journey of life and others take us on their journey of life. Last week Mark Risser, EMU admissions counselor, gave generously of himself to the students; he "perspired" with joy, enthusiasm, kindness and hospitality. Unknowingly he left a piece of himself with each of us.
The joy of life is leaving and receiving pieces of each other! The joy of living in Christ is receiving a "piece" of the divine and leaving that "piece" with others each day! I think there is a song about that: "... freely, freely I have received, freely, freely, I give ..." Will you help me finish the song?
I enjoyed the post, it reminded me of a song by Rich Mullins, although I know it's a different form of
ReplyDelete"piece" After all, that is what our name means, "little Christs" pieces of Christ extending ourselves as branches on the vine from the true giver of life
The song if you're interested is "peace of Christ" by Rich Mullins
Thanks for your words Henry