Our Deepest Fear - Part 3

The last couple weeks I have taken a small section of one of my favourite quotes of all time and expanded on it.  This weeks post is a continuation of that in an attempt to share with you how this statement has impacted my life.  I guess the hope is that by doing so, perhaps in some small way you will see what I see, and that will allow us to share something.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?…Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do…And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

–Marianne Williamson

"We are all meant to shine, as children do..."

I have a son.  He is 20 months old and is in the process of full on discovery of the world around him.  Yesterday he was holding an apple and brought it to me and said "ball?".  I corrected him and said "apple".  He stared intently at this green round object in his hand that for a small moment before had thought it was a ball, looked up at me and said "apple!".  That moment of pure, childlike discovery was amazing and I get to experience it with him every day.  Seeing him shine when I come home from work, or just playing with his toys makes a lot bad stuff just melt away.  

Do you still have your child-like shine?  That sense of wonder and discovery at the world around you?  Have you gotten too busy to stop and take a look around?  Has the unfairness of the world robbed you of child-like joy?  

What is something you can do this week to try and shine again like a child?  God has meant for you to have joy in him and for you to share that with others.  This week while you are working with youth remember to share the joy of Christ with them and by doing so you will give them permission to do the same.