It seems like an unintimidating dare…movement. A dare, in itself, loses some of its “street cred” when we get past adolescence. Beyond the game of freeze tag though, movement can be complicated. In real life, making a move, any move, has consequences. Physically, we move and can burn calories, pull a muscle, show love or show hate. Beyond that, figuratively, a move can be a decision in business, a shift of the heart, a check-mate in a relationship. Physically, I move constantly; at home, at work, keeping up with my boys, chores, errands, etc. Those things can be challenging enough to manage correctly. But how to we correctly manage the internal, subtle movements that shape our physical movements? Uh oh, getting a bit deep here….
That’s what we’re here to do, right? To move. Deeply. Intentionally. Spiritually. To point people toward an amazing God, to be inspirational parents to the children God entrusted us with, to be supportive partners to our spouse, to be encouraging, true friends, to love & care for others. Of course we’re to move physically in doing all these things, and anyone who knows me knows that I put a high value on movement, but what moves does God want you to make? Beyond the token WWJD, which by the way is an incredible gut check when making even the smallest of movements, what are you here for? Deep time again: What does God say about your individual purpose on earth? Is it even something you consider or care about? For some, it isn’t time for that yet, or your purpose hasn’t been made clear yet so you’re doing the best you know to do for now. No fault there. As my mother-in-law would say, “Don’t back up to the kicking machine.” Your time will come. And the consequences of every move you make can make you freeze up. But you can’t…that also carries consequences. No progress is made, you, your work, your family, your relationships become stagnant. You must move.
I find my time is passing quickly. Too quickly. My boys are growing up, saying things like “dude,” and “just don’t worry about it.” And before I know it, I won’t be mom anymore, I’ll be (gulp) that woman that steals their fun and makes them do things they hate and doesn’t know anything about anything. Sigh. It is already happening. So I don’t have time to waste…I have to be intentional and nurture my kids and their growth and be an example in every area of life while they will still notice. I have to be authentic because kids get to where they can sniff out fraud pretty quickly and it will turn them away from faith faster than the scent of cookies brings them to the kitchen. I have to teach them to make their own moves.
I dare you to move. The complicated part: making the right move. Doing the right thing, like Jesus would do. Making the decision that keeps you in God’s path for your life. Reaping the intended consequences. Leading my children, my family and my friends in the right direction. As I find my purpose, it becomes easier to know the moves. No less frightening at times, but a little more clear. And keeping balance is always a challenge…thus the purpose of this blog. But you can’t stand still. You have to move. With purpose. Where and how will you do it?
I dare you to move.
