RISK THE RAMP

2 Timothy 1:1-7
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 to Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline.

My son loved the bike ramp he got for his birthday. He was riding over it and "getting some good air," as he described it, but then it happened. He was "soaring" through the air, and when he landed, he flipped over the handlebars. Thank goodness for helmets!

He hasn't used his bike ramp since. The ramp sits on the sidewalk in front of our house, and when he rides by on his bike he pretends it's not even there. He's afraid of getting hurt again. I don't blame him.

We instinctively try to protect ourselves. If we touch something hot, we learn that it hurts and we don't touch it again. If a 1,500-pound horse throws us, we may leave the ranch and buy a dog.

Many times it makes sense to avoid things that are painful. Not always in relationships, however. Why? Because being in
relationship with others hurts sometimes. We're sinful and, intentionally or not, we occasionally hurt someone we love, or
someone we love hurts us.

"I'm giving up on relationships!" we might say after we've put our heart on the line and been rejected. We keep others from getting too close. We're terrified at the thought of loving again, because to love means to risk rejection and heart-wrenching pain again.

At some point, my son will need to try the bike ramp again. He'll have to risk getting hurt so that he can once again enjoy the thrill of "getting good air."

If you've been hurt in relationships (who hasn't?) and you've become cold and distant, think about what you're missing. Look at the relationship of Paul and Timothy and see the encouragement and intimacy they shared (2 Timothy 1:1-7). There's joy that comes from bonding with another person through love, commitment, and understanding.

Think about what you gain by opening your heart to others. You'll see it's worth the risk to try friendship again. --Allison Stevens

DESTINATION POINTS

* How do I respond to emotional pain in relationships?
* What can I learn about myself from past and present friendships? How am I acting out my faith in my relationships?
* In what ways might I be living too self-protectively by staying away from intimate friendships?

LINKS:
X Why? Z
http://www.christianitytoday.com/sports/features/athletes/articles/olympics-xwhyz.html

Friendship Beyond Color
http://www.christianitytoday.com/cr/9r1/9r1048.html

bottom line: Friendship helps refine us.

soul journey