Reaching The Leaping Point
Does this sound good? "Working to reach out to the community."
A simple statement, not meant to be a trick question. A group that is working to reach out, is a good thing. I was thinking about the idea, what ways to reach out are and the implications of it all. Here are some thoughts.
Reaching, or reaching out, doesn't really denote much movement. Reaching implies moving something like an arm, to grab something nearby. Opening the extended hand to take something without a lot of effort. What seems to be more important, is what it does not signify, movement of the body.
Now, in reference to a group effort, like a club that meets in a building, reaching applies fairly well. A base of operations can only be reached out from, or people sent out from. The true church though.... the true church is often referred to as the body of Christ, and that is not a stationary base. We have no reason to reach. Not no reason to reach for others, no reason to use the method of reaching, to touch others. The true church is a body. How silly is it to think of a functioning person trying to interact with others by simply reaching out their arms?
How about we stretch out? Or step out? Or hop out? Or jump out? Or leap out. With arms flailing! (okay, maybe not that last one) As long as we're moving out. Actively engaging people by fully connecting with them, instead of holding out our hands, saying, "Hey! Hi there! Come on over even though we've never even seen each other before!"
We are running a race here. Stretching and leaping, to show and inspire others that we are going hard for the real gold that's truly true.
Ironic then, that while the very thing I'm talking about is being written and (hopefully) read, that at neither end is this leaping and running and reaching actually being acted. I hear the verse in my head so often, 2 Timothy 2:14 which says, "Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen."
And here I am, talking about the difference between reaching and leaping. My hope, however, is not to clarify wordy definitions, but to push readers to that point of leaping out to others. It's not pushy, in a shoving manner, but pushy as in pushing a swing. For that moment when the rider leaps out, and soars through the air. You just need to be ready to help them when they land, for it might not be graceful.
So enough thinking and reading. Who can you leap towards, with such glee and excitement (and good intentions) that they cannot help but join in? Who can help you reach the point of leaping? Who can you help reach that leaping point?
Leap is such a fun word.
A simple statement, not meant to be a trick question. A group that is working to reach out, is a good thing. I was thinking about the idea, what ways to reach out are and the implications of it all. Here are some thoughts.
Reaching, or reaching out, doesn't really denote much movement. Reaching implies moving something like an arm, to grab something nearby. Opening the extended hand to take something without a lot of effort. What seems to be more important, is what it does not signify, movement of the body.
Now, in reference to a group effort, like a club that meets in a building, reaching applies fairly well. A base of operations can only be reached out from, or people sent out from. The true church though.... the true church is often referred to as the body of Christ, and that is not a stationary base. We have no reason to reach. Not no reason to reach for others, no reason to use the method of reaching, to touch others. The true church is a body. How silly is it to think of a functioning person trying to interact with others by simply reaching out their arms?
How about we stretch out? Or step out? Or hop out? Or jump out? Or leap out. With arms flailing! (okay, maybe not that last one) As long as we're moving out. Actively engaging people by fully connecting with them, instead of holding out our hands, saying, "Hey! Hi there! Come on over even though we've never even seen each other before!"
We are running a race here. Stretching and leaping, to show and inspire others that we are going hard for the real gold that's truly true.
Ironic then, that while the very thing I'm talking about is being written and (hopefully) read, that at neither end is this leaping and running and reaching actually being acted. I hear the verse in my head so often, 2 Timothy 2:14 which says, "Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen."
And here I am, talking about the difference between reaching and leaping. My hope, however, is not to clarify wordy definitions, but to push readers to that point of leaping out to others. It's not pushy, in a shoving manner, but pushy as in pushing a swing. For that moment when the rider leaps out, and soars through the air. You just need to be ready to help them when they land, for it might not be graceful.
So enough thinking and reading. Who can you leap towards, with such glee and excitement (and good intentions) that they cannot help but join in? Who can help you reach the point of leaping? Who can you help reach that leaping point?
Leap is such a fun word.
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