From Bob Goff’s “Live In Grace, Walk In Love: A 365-Day Journey”
“As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,” (Colossians 3:12).
Most people don’t know this about me, but I carry a slingshot and a compass with me everywhere I go. They remind me of fun and adventure and also teach a couple of lessons.
When I travel to conferences to speak to a new group of friends, I’ve got my slingshot. We shoot salt water taffy at each other there. When I go to Iraq to check up on our school and find ways to support refugees in the region, I take the compass with me and we guess where north is. I get a couple of leaders together and instead of talking policy, we knock over a few cans together. I’ve learned it’s heard not to become friends with someone you have some fun with. Try it sometime.
When I first set out to learn how to love people more, I wouldn’t have thought just to play with them more. But that’s how love works. We set our hearts on building relationships with people, and then we find a way to live into it. We won’t figure it out through reading a book. There’s no way to chart it out. With a compass in hand, we figure out where true north is and keep heading for that. God doesn’t give us a blueprint. He just tells us to be humble and connect with people who might not have been our first choice.
No map will take us where God wants to lead us, because He created each of us for a different purpose. He made you the way you are so you could bring your flavor of love and creativity to the world, and your expression of love will look a little different than mine. That’s not a bad thing. It’s a great thing.
Put on kindness and humility and let love lead the way. You won’t be disappointed with where it takes you. And wherever you go, bring a slingshot and a compass.