I enjoy life on the edge. It is exciting, invigorating, and always surprising! Pushing the envelope, especially for the right reasons, fulfills a thirst within. Running farther, climbing higher, getting to the goal quicker than plan, making one's numbers, and winning gives a feeling that is like no other. I am especially eager to take on new challenges when success requires a team effort.
A wise Catholic Nun once explained that a group's soul was a composite of all parts. The mystery came in the shape and form of what our souls reflected. The group's values and priorities came together as a mirror of our hearts. No one person could determine or control the shape and type of a group.
When we are with another, we cede some of our authority and personality to the other (as they do to us as well). Our combined soul reflects our combined passion, desires, values, and experiences. The process combines and splits moment by moment as we spend time together, sharing the journey we call life. My own view is that we are never quite the same after we spend time with another. Our inner self is different, infected in a way that we do not understand.
When each of us puts everything together, we have a dangerous cocktail. We like to live on the edge, pushing things out, comfortable in the fact that we never quite do anything “wrong”. The questions remain. Are we safe? Do we want away from any experience untouched? Can we protect ourselves?
The answers are blunt and clear – no, no, and no.
Life is a dangerous place. When you see the seductive women, “keep you distance from such a woman; absolutely stay out of her neighborhood.” (Proverbs 5.8) If you find yourself in a place with values that you do not share, run! As you discover that your heart has been touched in ways you do not agree with, seek the God of restoration and mercy. We have a God who bled and died for us. He is here, waiting, for us.
