“Who do you say I am?” We answer this question every day by the way we live. We reveal what we believe about God, about ourselves, and about other people. A powerful message is expressed by how we interact with others. Every encounter is an opportunity for us to make a deep, meaningful connection, or to hide behind the fears and prejudices that prevent us from truly getting to know another person.
Our Western culture, particularly the church, has taught us to be blind to the individual by placing people in categories; single, married, divorced, women, men, recovering, disabled, immigrant, gay and by race. We apply preconceived notions to each group because it helps us to identify who they may be. These preconceived notions fail to recognize the value of and embrace the uniqueness of the individual without even hearing their story. Each person’s story has the potential to bring a deeper understanding to who they are…and they long to share it. Everyone wants to be known and loved.
Our culture has attempted to respond to this deep desire by providing special opportunities for that to occur. Millions of people, every day, search dating sites for the perfect person. Extensive inventories are completed with the purpose of identifying a compatible partner. The ultimate hope is to find someone who knows and loves them.
But what does it mean to be known? Being known requires that we courageously reveal our truest self to another. This willingness often becomes an invitation for others to respond in kind, creating a beautiful exchange. When we take time to listen to another person, we are communicating that they have value. They have significance. We may not always understand the person but there is something supernatural that happens as we take the time to listen. We communicate love.
Take time to express love today….listen to someone’s story.
Excerpt from Who Do You Say I Am? Personal Life Stories Told by the LGBTQ Community.
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