Words of Wisdom (or Experience) Part 8

This is my last week as a member of the student body of Purdue University, and America. I have been through a lot in my 4... (or make that 5) years of college. Lately I have been doing a lot of reflecting on my life here in West Lafayette and how it could have been different or it could have changed. It is a sobering thought that in 3 week's time I will really really be out on my own in the real world. So basically each day this week, I will try to leave you all with some story or something I have learned that you can use (if you like) in your own life. Maybe I have suffered some so you can suffer less by learning from my mistakes...

Sunday (Bringing People With You)

I have decided I am going to keep this series opened and have something new everyday until I run out of stuff, which may or may not take a while. I have encountered a lot of pain and made a lot of mistakes in my lifetime, and there is no reason that anyone else should have the same pain or make the same mistakes if I can prevent that by sharing some bit of wisdom I have gained by experience.

This would probably be one of my more favorite topics. Since it is close to my heart. For most of my life I had felt like I was on the outside looking in. I was always the quiet, shy one. I was very bland and plain and not charismatic. I had a hard time getting people to include me. I felt uninvolved and not included. Of course I have never met anyone that enjoys feeling this way. Luckily, this is something we have power to deal with. All you have to do is ask.

This entry is about including people, but it is also about taking people with you to where ever you're going in Christ. Maybe there is some larger goal that will require help. How will the people that are supposed to help you even know if you don't go and recruit them? Someone else could even have something you need for such a time as this...

Matt 4:19 says "Come follow me" Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

Jesus was an includer of people and we should be as well.

I was raised not to invite myself to things. The first thing my Mom would ask me if I asked permission to spend the night at my friend's house, for example, is if they invited me or I invited myself. I guess she saw inviting yourself to things as intrusive, which it kinda is. Most people are courteous enough to wait for you to invite them to something, especially if it's a new person to the group. Most people are polite and won't push themselves onto your plans. This means you should reach out to them.

This is very important if you're in a position of leadership. Sometimes you have to be willing to go with the people you are leading. You must be willing to stop and reach back and take them by the hand and bring them with you.

Maybe you don't know this, but there are people out there waiting to join you. You don't have to look very far to find these people because they are all around you. There are people on the outside looking in at you... They want to be a part of the group, they want to help you. They are dying to be invited in. It is your job to do so...