What if?

True enough, not only the simple but the learned, not only the average but the saintly, have described God as wise, just, long-suffering, merciful; and, depending on the occasion, have appealed to Him because preeminently these attributes are His. When our motives are questioned we call upon Him for support, for in His wisdom He knows the deepest stirrings of our hearts. When we suffer, we invoke His justice. When in haste we sin, we plead for sufferance on His part. Where we have been exacting or rebellious, we cry for His mercy. What, however, does such language suggest? That man in his dependence and helplessness employs as best he may, to the stretching point if necessary, the sounds and vocabulary at his disposal. These terms, and others like them, are the finest human beings have developed. But even at their finest they will not do; they cannot be precise; they are a stammering to which we have simply grown accustomed. God, the nature of God, rises higher than our discourse. As He is the source of wisdom, we call Him wise; as He is the fullness of mercy, we call Him merciful. But the words fall short of His being.
-Louis Finkelstein

I recently started reading Blue Like Jazz. Yes, I know I'm late, as probably every Christian in college from the time it was written has considered it required reading. It's not that I didn't want to, so much as I just didn't go out and read it. But my cousin loaned it to me, so I've had no reason not to pick it up.

Anyway, it poses a sort of indirect challenge. In the book, Don Miller talks about wanting to tell his friends about God, without trying to sell God to them. And I've sort of been challenged to want to do that of late. I've been wondering "What would my life look like if I weren't afraid to share God with people?" Not to push a worldview on them, or to sell them a better life, or even the promise of an afterlife. If my relationship with God were only about life after death, I'd probably say screw it, and live for myself until my deathbed.

But seriously. I know the Creator of the freakin' universe personally. And He likes me! He goes out of His way to be in communication with me! WHAT THE HECK!?! So, what if I weren't afraid to use every chance I got to share Him with those I love?

I came across this quote in my reading for my World Religions class. Based on the guy's name, you can probably infer that we're studying Judaism right now. Anyway, I just loved how he described God, and how he pretty much called God indescribable. At least with our best efforts, we can't begin to explain how awesome He is.

If that's true, and I believe it is, why am I afraid to share my knowledge and relationship of this awesome being with those that I love?

I'll probably be chewing on this one a while.

"With a little love, and some tenderness, we'll walk upon the water. We'll rise above this mess."