Finding gold

Francis Chan was talking in chapel today about how everything is for God's glory and how we have no right to expect anything. But he also mentioned something about accepting people and it reminded me of a friend of mine....

She is one of my dearest friends. I might even call her one of my best friends. She's one of the most amazing people I know! I love her very much :) But there are times when she will start telling a story or go to make a comment about what someone has said and she suddenly stops and gets this look on her face. It is a look of fear, guilt, and surprise at herself for almost slipping. She freezes and she doesn't know what to do. It was only lately that I began to realize that her past is shadier than she likes to let on to most people. It is these frozen moments where she was about to tell me something about the person she used to be. She knows from past experience that most are not accepting of who she was. She knows that she will be condemmed for what she did. But I am not most people...I don't care who she was or what she did. If anything I want to know about it so that I can see how much she has grown and become even more of who God wants her to be. It takes a bit of encouragement before she opens up and tells me what she had originally intended to tell me. But I just smile and look at her and say, "That is not the girl you are now. You are a woman of God and you do not have to be labeled by your past. I am your friend and I love you. I accept you, sketchy past and all!"

I was struck with the reality of this during chapel and with the realization that this is who God has called me to be. He has called me to be a friend to everyone, but especially to those who are so used to one version of humanity. I love seeing the look on my friend's face when she realizes that I am not going to judge her in the least bit. it's like she has struck gold. These are the blessings God has bestowed on me to share with others: acceptance and forgiveness. I will use these gifts to the best of my ability to bring glory to my heavenly Father.