Be Foolish...

What? Be foolish? Yes that is exactly what I said... Maybe I should clarify what I mean!

This past weekend I was blessed to attend an event we hold here in Cincy called Encounter. It is an opportunity for the Youth to come and worship God with  dynamic speakers & pretty great music :). 

Last night in the midst of many blessings one of our leaders, a seminarian Ethan shared a powerful challenge. When Christ called Peter to step out onto the water...Peter said in faith... Command me Lord & I will do it...

To anyone in our current time, whenever we are challenged to grow, to step out in faith there is a fear that holds us back...we don't want to look like a fool. 

We doubt, we sink as Peter began to... And often when we sink we focus in the failure...and feel ashamed, defeated, embarrassed... We feel foolish. 

I have to confess, I really struggle with this. I don't want to be seen as a fool, as crazy... And in our world being a happily married woman of 5 children....sometimes I feel foolish. Because I sink, when I loose my patience with my children. When I get frustrated with my husband. When I overbook my days and can't keep up with my housework. When it's 4:30 and I have no idea what is for dinner. When my daughter brings home a bad grade. When my son decides to do his business outside of church. When things don't look pretty...I feel foolish. 

What happens when we give into that feeling? Pride creeps in and we try to be our own savior. We try to fix the "problem". We parent from our insecurity. We speak to our spouse out of our insecurity and fear. We tear ourselves up on the inside. 

Then we build a wall around our heart. A cocoon to protect us from what everyone thinks. And the funny thing is that usually the only one thinking all these negative and shameful thoughts... Is us. 

So what do we do? We are sinking. What do we do? We are suffocating? How do we breathe? 

Look at Peter. The king of foot in mouth. The one The Lord chose to lead. The one The Lord praised and then called Satan...the one who sank. What does he do? 

"Lord Command me and I will come"...he asks The Lord to call him, he steps out in faith, he begins to sink, he cries for help... And The Lord does not rebuke...he reaches out to him...he lifts him up...

I need to ask The Lord to command me... To help me...to lead me...to guide me. To align my will with his... To let go of my fear. To be a fool for Christ...rather than feel foolish in my shame!

There is freedom in this surrender. And last night I experienced such a freedom. The Lord calls us to greatness...he calls us to humility. He calls us to see the things that shame tells us are failures and instead ask him to meet us in the midst of that sinking moment...and lift us up. 

So I ask you to consider...where do you need to be lifted up? Where in your life do you need to call out to Christ. Don't 

Be afraid...he is waiting...