Just one...
I just finished watching one of the most profound movies of all time. It is one that always effects me greatly. I watch it fairly often. Since I was all alone this evening, it seemed like a good time for it. This movie is called "The Thin Red Line" and people either love it or hate it.
It is not a movie to watch if you just want brain candy, that's for sure. But if you want to connect to God in a deep way and get your self thinking take this one on for size.
I don't know how to describe it, but this movie always profoundly effects me. Its generally a different thing each time as well, although an over-riding theme when I watch it is always community, family, friends and what that really means.
Lately I've been seeing how much more important it is to just love. Especially amidst the "ministry" whirlwind. That is such a dangerous whirlwind. It is so close to the real thing, but just far away enough that you can just miss the mark.
Personally I always think about the nation because that is where I'm really focused right now. Changing the nation. Ministry. Stuff. Doing things. But when you boil it all down a nation is just made up of people. A whole bunch of people all together. If you want to change a nation you have to touch their hearts.
When faced with over 30,000,000 people this can be a somewhat overwhelming task. People may say that I cannot change the nation. They may be right. I'll probably not make relationships with all 30,000,000 Canadians. But I do have people around me. I do have those I love. I do have hearts here and there that I am crazy about all over the country and if I can do what I can do to let them know that they are loved, their dreams can come true and someone is standing behind them then that is good.
Sometimes we can get overwhelmed with changing a nation until we remember that it really is about changing just one. Once you've done that a whole word has been transformed -- their world.
I really like how Jesus boiled it all down to that. Just love each other. That was the best commandment ever. I'm really glad it wasn't a suggestion.
If people know that someone is honestly behind them, loves them, believes in them no matter what then anything is possible.