This is Gabe here. Is anyone else sick of winter? I thought after last week's snow storm we would be done with it. But instead, Anderson was under a level 2 emergency this week because of more snow. Most of my family knows, or people close to me, that in the winter I get a little "depressed". Not like I need counseling depressed, just feeling the winter blues. Well, it hit me this week. I was starting to hate it and get irritated by it all. I know during the winter, I have to keep myself extremely busy to avoid these feelings, but I still had them!! I don't get it! I even started planning ahead...like really far ahead. Working on camps for the summer, figuring out every aftershock we have until the end of the school year. Just trying to find things to stay productive and keep busy so I don't think about the cold and the snow. The one part I love about winter though is that I exercise a lot more. I feel like that is my drug, it keeps my spirits up and I feel better about life when I do that. But yesterday, I couldn't fight the feelings. So I sat at home waiting for my small group kids to get to my house and I kept looking at my Bible sitting here on the desk. I thought to myself "what have you learned today?". I know many times when I get with kids, I ask them what they are learning. Most of the time it's a cliche answer "God loves me". Ok, I learned that when I was 3. So how do you KNOW God loves you? How do you feel it? So instead of asking kids this question, I started asking myself that question. How do you know God better today than you did yesterday? Then I began to read and instead of just reading it to read it, what stands out to you? What part of the verses really speaks to you? Here's what I got...
In Matthew 13:34, "Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable"
I love the book of Matthew, I always have. But I never thought about this verse before. It stood out to me yesterday. Why parables? Because it helps us understand. Think about it. When Jesus says He loves you, how do you feel? Does it even sink in? Now when he relates to 100 sheep and 1 goes away, how he looks for that 1 sheep because he cares so much for each sheep. Does that hit you different? Well, it does to me. When I speak to people, I use stories, lots of them. Why? Because then we get it! Then it makes sense!
For instance, I talked sunday to the youth about how valuable we are to God and taking off the mask that we put on to become someone we're not to feel valuable. I could've sat up there for hours just saying "You are valuable" but do they ever get it? Probably not. So I used a story relating to art. A real Van Gogh painting that he painted could cost around $80 million, but I could go to Barnes and Noble and get a poster of one for about $8. What's the difference? The real painting was the one Van Gogh put his time into, he was in front of that canvas creating the art, his thoughts, his brush, his everything goes into that painting. It was a reflection of him. People want the real, genuine painting and it is worth a lot! That's how we are to God. He created each of us and spent His time, His life, His value into us. We are the image of God. So why do we put on masks that cost $8 when behind that mask we are worth $80 million? God puts so much value into us, and when we recognize that value, we'll never want to have our mask on!
That may not be a parable, but it sure makes me feel more valued and loved than just thinking "God loves me". It's broken down for us to understand it. I think that's why Jesus did it, because our minds can't fully comprehend the depths of His love. Challenging, yet encouraging. I hope this encourages someone today - that your life is worth living, that God puts so much value into you.
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