The Risk of Loving

I am reading Tom Holladay's book, "The Relationship Principles of Jesus Christ." It's really good. I found it at Goodwill. Not long afterwards, I saw that it was recommended reading on the AG Women's Ministry Website. I want to share something I read that is changing my life. Not only has it helped me to love others, but it is also helping me to love and get attached to my puppy. ~~~~~~~

"C.S.Lewis has made this profound observation: 'To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket-safe, dark, motionless, airless-it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.'

'You may have experienced deep hurt because you made the choice to love. It would be only natural to tell yourself, "I'm never going to open myself up to that kind of pain again." Of course you feel that way. Who wants to be wounded?
Lewis's statement reminds us that there is an even deeper hurt to be found in not loving than in taking the risk to love.
If you choose not to love, not only will you be hurt, but the people you could have loved will be hurt in ways you may never know.
Take the risk to love! ...No hurt or misunderstanding or sin that has been brought on you could be worth the greater hurt of refusing to love....Keep this in mind: the one relationship you can truly count on is your relationship to Jesus Christ. Lean on your relationship to Him as you take the risk to love others..." ~~~~~

We can make soul vows and miss out on so much of life. We tell ourselves, "I will never allow this to happen again. I will never open my heart to hear from another person or allow them to speak into my life. I will never love anyone outside of these chosen few."
And we build up walls to keep people out and suddenly find that we have built a prison where no visitors come.~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our lives are really not our own. They are God's to do with what He'd like. Oh God, help us to love as You love. Help us to lay down our lives for our friends. Help us to be willing to be hurt again.