Its only a box...

What does the phrase "Out side the box mean to you?"

To some, it means not being what everyone else is or not conforming to anything as Megan Durham stated. I know that the first that I think if is to THINK outside the box. To broaden your perspective and to be a little something more that the day before. I picture this flimsy cardboard box that we each sit in every day. Its big enough that we can't see over the walls though it is easily torn apart if we so desire. We were not given the boxes but we have chosen to live inside them, live we are living in our own world. For this reason. The vast majority of us have no clue what is going on out side our box. There way be someone who needs a hand or a should or an ear but we wouldn't know because we are blind to these needs.

Last week, during a missions training meeting, I was finally able to put my thoughts into words. These boxes of ours, whether it is facebook, cell phones, our own houses, we are keeping ourselves in the dark. What would it be like or rather look like if we all "stepped outside the box" and looked into another's box. What do you think we would find? A new friend? A sinner? A broken heart? Or maybe even a captive soul that needs to be released. A wise man reminded me that we are to be the hands and feet of our savior. That we are called to heal the broken hearted and set the captive free. How can we do this if we can't even step outside our selves long enough to have compassion for a neighbor? We are also called to bare with one another. He will never lead us to something with out having a way through it and sometimes the way through his test is holding the hand of a dear friend that he has put in our lives.

God did not give us life and then hand us a box saying "Best of luck". He gave us a life to live amongst each other; to love each other. I'm not going to pull out my handy dandy bible point to every verse I am referring to for two reasons: 1) its late and my bible is out in my truck, and two) also because its late, I don't feel awake enough to find them all. I tear away at my box little by little when I feel like I have the spiritual strength to do so. As I do this, my Father makes it easier to accept things and to see where it is that he wants me to be. As this lesson has been taught over the course of the past year, love has been coming more freely as well as understanding. I understand at least this much by now: why would I want to live in a box all alone where there is a world that could use my company, or yours for that matter. It is best explained in the movie pay it forward. Someone else a small number of people who in turn help a small number of people each and so on. With one person a chain reaction is started. It has to start somewhere with someone though.

As of spring break, I have become apart of the chain reaction because of Benny and Niki. I left my box at home when I went to Colorado and when I got home, I couldn't find it but better yet, I didn't want it. In a way this is a challenge to leave to comfort of your so called box and look in to that of anther and see what you find. Its a sacrifice and as Matt Mills said, "...its a risk" but God may surprise you. Its a hard thing to do, leaving the comfort zone we hide in so much, but the end result will be worth more than silver or gold.