Ditch The Umbrella

We are all very different... We all love differently. We are loved differently.... with one exception.

God, in ways only He can, loves us equally. I find it hard to wrap my brain around how He does that, how He loves His children equally. Yes, He loves us all, and equally. He loves us so much that He gave up His only Son for all of us.

Every single one of us.

Equally.

Jesus didn’t just die for my sins and yours and not for Billy-Joe-Bob’s from down the street... He died for us all, equally.

No need for ‘middle child syndrome’ there – God gives "equal opportunity love".

I recently read the words of a very wise friend who compared God’s mercy and grace to being caught in a rainstorm with a group of people. Some used their umbrellas to shield themselves from the rain, some stood there, unshielded and soaked to the bone. It's similar to life... we're all rained on by His mercy and grace... sadly, some of us don’t allow ourselves to receive it, even though it’s not for lack of abundance and outpouring.

Same goes for His love. His love rains down on us in abundance and in equal opportunities... I can’t help but wonder -- do we shield and protect ourselves from it? Do we question if the person next to us is getting a bigger dose than we are? Do we lament when others seem to have it differently than us, when we see them staying dry, remaining shielded? Do we complain because sometimes, being loved is difficult? Do we hide somewhere in the darkness, feeling as though we don’t deserve what everyone else is getting, and regardless, we don’t want to risk getting wet? Do we believe in His love?

It’s all about perspective. Ours, and His.

His love pours out on us equally. It’s our perspective and the effort we put into spending time seeking Him that changes how it feels to us, how it looks on a human level.

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to ditch the umbrellas. Let's gift Him the joy of flooding us with His love. His mercy. His grace. Get soaked to the core by His blessings.



And if you see someone near you still holding on to an umbrella... reach over, and poke a hole in it... then another.... and another... help Him pour into the lives of those around you.