REACH OUT & SOAR

Ever wonder what makes a wallflower shy and a social butterfly soar? Given the benefit of the doubt, I am sure they both have pleasant personalities, but it takes more than a smile and an exchange of small talk to set them apart. The difference lies within the depth. Though we all have our moods, opinions, quirks and attitudes, those things lie dormant beneath the exchange of pleasantries. Once awakened by connections with others, we choose whether it is safe to share that part of ourselves in the encounter. Wallflowers hesitate for fear of being known; butterflies reach out confidently with wings outstretched because they know what it means to soar.

The key is to reach out and soar.

Reaching out doesn't come without its risks. Confidences can be violated. The strength of relationships can be tested under the weight of change; but much like the analogy of the butterfly, one cannot soar unless one spreads her wings and attempt to fly. All during Sunday service, I had to mourn the news of a much-loved sister/confidante and her family over their unexpected church departure and then extend a blessing of release over a young family relocating to another city. Initially, I wanted to shy away from getting close again to anyone. I shared my heart and soul with these women. I considered the alternative of being known, of starting over too risky. I shrunk back into my wall and grieved, but there I found it necessary in the healing process. A cocooning morphed my pain as I fed off the comfort this change would bring. Maybe a fresh outlook on relating, maybe a greater dependence on God, maybe to remember the good advice they poured into my life. Who knows? I do know if I wanted to soar, I had to risk the pain of making connection again, to emerge from my stasis either better or worse, butterfly or wallflower because of the experience.


We were created to impact more than this fleshly encasement that holds our hearts. We were created for relationship and relationships tend to be messy when we reach out. Is it ever worth it? I’ll answer that question with a question. Is it ever worth breathing? You decide if and when you are ready to reach out.


My challenge to you…
Can you recall a “wallflower” experience where you mourned a relationship? What happened? Did you properly grieve and heal from the experience? Have you risked reaching out in relationship since that experience? Why not?


Prayer…God, hearts can either be weak vessels or vibrant windows to the soul when we choose to reach out in relationship. When something causes a change to occur and reaching out looks more like a major retreat, create in us a cocoon to grieve and heal, learn and grow, but never leave us against the wall fearing to reach out again. In this we pray – AMEN.