I almost blogged last night...

I am not sure exactly why I didn't post what I wrote last night but I decided against it. Some things just are not meant to be shared in this kind of forum I guess.

So last night I helped a friend. He is the manager of a crew that cleans schools and he has had some trouble with his employees not showing up for work. He asked if anyone would help him (I am guessing it was a group text) and I replied that I would. I try to live by the standard that if someone asks for help "If I can, I should." It is something that my band teacher told me when I was in sixth grade and I have tried to always keep it in mind.

My friend was thankful that I was willing to help and give up my Friday night. I said it is what friends do...and then I realized I was the only friend who was there. I am not the nicest guy ever, in fact I would argue that I am not the nicest guy in my family. I know there are at least 4 other Johnson men that I would consider to be nicer than me (the 3 adult Jacks and Chris). This being said, I still try my best to do the right thing when given the chance. Last night I was given the chance.

I have been seeing a lot of the "25 random things..." posts on facebook lately. I posted one myself. It took me 5 minutes to write and I didn't even try to be witty with my answers. Now I wish I had written some other things into it but I don't think I will do it again. The reason I am bringing up the "25 random things..." is that in several of them lately I have noticed that they talk about "love" and how it will either solve everything or it is the answer to all of our problems. I couldn't agree more!

Since I started this post I have gone back and read a few of the "25 random things..." posts, there doesn't seem to be as much about love as I thought. Maybe it was just on my mind and the few times I saw it, that is what stuck out to me.

*side note: I have tried to finish this blog three times and I have erased the ending. Let's see if I can actually finish it*

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." I used to think this had to do with dying for a friend. I hadn't really ever looked at this verse in context, as sad as that may be, until last year. I grew up hearing that verse but I had never gone to study it out. In verse 12 it says "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." At this point Jesus had not died for anyone...but He had laid down His life for His friends.

I want to look at two examples of people who in my life I have seen lay down there life for someone else:

1. My brother Chris:

One of the reasons that I have such respect for my younger brother is that he dropped everything in his life and came back to Oklahoma for me. He told me that when I went to my second year at Rhema that he would be there to help me...and he was. He does this kind of thing on a consistant basis. He will lay down what he wants to do in order to help out someone else. Not because of what he will get in return, but because he is showing love to that person.

2. Chrissy Nicole Adams

Chrissy is someone who I met as a "friend of a friend." Most relationships that we build are through people we are around consistantly. For example: church, work, school, sports...you get the idea. Chrissy worked for a church I have never been to, she went to homeschool (so we never went to school together), she hasn't played any sports that I know of since we met...except that one time we all went out and through the frisbee, but I am not sure that counts as a sport played, and she lives in a town that is 45 minutes from where I live. In other words, we didn't have a lot of reason to really see each other. Truthfully she has been closer to my brother than she has been to me but I would consider her a good friend. She made this list because she has made a decision that not very many people would make. She is going to take a year out of her life and donate it to people who truly need it.

James 1:27 says, "A religion that is pure and stainless according to God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows who are suffering, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." Well she is taking a year of her life and is going over to China to volunteer in an orphange. She is taking care of orphans for an entire year. This is one of the most selfless things I have ever seen or heard. She had a great job working at a church that is growing and yet she gave it up to go where she is needed most. It isn't about what she can get, it is about what she can give.

She challenges me to be a better person every day of my life. What can I do that will help someone when they truly need it? Take a look at what she is doing:

http://www.placemeinyourplan.blogspot.com/


So those are the two people who challenge me to be a better person, to give more, to not be concerned about "me" and to be more concerned with what needs I can help fill. I am not saying you need to change anything in your life. I am just asking you to take a look around. Help those who need help. Smile at the people who need someone to smile at them. Hold the door for that person who has their arms full. Do what you can do to fill the gaps that society is leaving in other peoples lives. Show some love and see how it goes. I think it will get better.