My friend Elizabeth was the kind of person who went all out for people . At baby showers she didn ’ t buy off the registry . She made special blankets by hand for each new mom . You could often hear her laugh across the room after church services as she talked about her kids or her Lord . She filled a room with her smile and a contagious energy .
Last Christmas Elizabeth unexpectedly passed away . One day she was her exuberant self , and the next she was gone . Her entrance into heaven has caused me to think a lot about going all out . We serve a God who goes all out for us . I love how He announced the birth of the Messiah . Our Father definitely made a big show with a host of angels on a hillside declaring the good news that He was sending a Savior .
One of the cool things to me is that the Lord went all out for shepherds . They were poor , dirty , and often outcasts of society . These are the ones God went all out for ! The lowly shepherds got to hear the news of the Messiah ’ s birth in an incredible way long before religious leaders or those the world values as important .
As I reflect on God ’ s extravagant love , I wonder how we can follow His example and go all out for others ? Elizabeth did it with homemade blankets and encouraging words . This meant taking extra time and energy to make others feel special . In order to go all out for people in our lives , we ’ ll need God ’ s Spirit to guide us in the who , how , and when . We can ’ t go all out for everyone . In order to love my husband extravagantly , I might need to scale back time with my friends . To go all out for a person in need , I may have to sacrifice in other areas .
My mentor , Deb , has loved me extravagantly for almost twenty years . She is generous with her time and wisdom , and she loves to spoil my family . Going all out doesn ’ t necessarily mean spending more money . It ’ s not the American motto of bigger , better , faster , and more . Instead , going all out means sharing God ’ s love with others in a way that is meaningful to them .
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