Why reach out?

Everyone I know now was first a complete stranger to me.

This is important to remember in my interactions with people I don't know yet. I think anyone can relate to the uncomfortable feeling of leaving the company of self, family, and established friends to move into stranger zone. It's hard to trust people I know nothing or little about. It's easy to convince myself that I don't need new friendships. However, there is no doubt someone else who I need and who needs me.

It's a choice. I can choose to stay in my apartment, room, bed, or head. Or I can choose to become involved in my community, school, neighborhood, state, country, and world. I can choose to influence and lift others. It is so easy to do, too. All it takes is a sincere interest. A true desire to love. Too often humans grudgingly face each other at work, class, or other activities, anticipating the escape and safe return to self-indulgent bubbles of temporary calm and retreat. I think I could do well to remember that every stranger is a best friend not made yet; complete with back-story, insecurities, and certainly a need for love.

I can't be complacent in my efforts to be a good person. It is not enough to want to make a difference. It is not enough to have a good heart. We need each other in this world of pain and loneliness and fear. We have to reach out. We have to especially at our most alone and frightened moments. That is when, more than ever, we need to be a participator of life.

What makes Jesus Christ the best friend we can ever have? His enduring love for us. When we show people, strangers even, love, we find what the scriptures teach us is the greatest joy to be had in this life. It is easiest to feel Heavenly Father's love for me when I am loving His children.

Matthew 25:40

Satan's two favorite ways to get me down:

1. You aren't good enough.

He likes to tell me that I'm not worthy enough to pray, not good enough to repent, not talented enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough, not thin enough, not faithful enough, etc. So why even try?

What's awesome is that no matter what Satan tries to tell me, self-improvement is in my hands. I am in control of who I am becoming with every day that I'm given.

So when "you're not good enough" doesn't work on me, he likes to pull this one:

2. You're good enough.

What makes this one tricky is that it seems like a positive message at first. He tells me that I'm good enough just how I am. There is no need for me to reach out to others, improve myself, set new goals, or step out of my comfort zone. I'm good enough; there's no need to progress!

The truth is, a testimony is a living thing. If it is not taken care of, no matter how strong it is, it will die. Satan says to settle. Stay who you are until it starts to slip away because it's not being nourished or built upon.

What's awesome is that I have the opportunity to perfect myself little by little with the help of my Heavenly Daddy. Unlike Satan, He loves me perfectly and continually reminds me of my divine potential.