When Jesus Came Into The World He Was WITH Us
And they will call him Immanuel, which means God is with us. Matthew 1:23b NLTse
When Jesus Left This World He Said He Is WITH Us
And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20b NLTse
Jesus isn’t just FOR us, He is WITH us and to me that makes a huge difference in how I live my life. He is not distant, he is fully present. There are people in my life who aren’t just FOR me, they are WITH me. I usually meet with them weekly. Their names, J and Martin. Here is s simple list to help us get our head around the difference between FOR and WITH.
I Am FOR You
For is in the stands
For is watching
For is compassion
For stands
For shakes hands
For cheers you on
For observes
For keeps clean
For is on your side
I Am WITH You
With is in the game
With is being
With is empathy
With sits
With gives hugs
With brings you in
With participates
With gets dirty
With is by your side
Why is it such a big deal to focus on these two small words? Because it speaks to our participation in the lives of others.
FOR is a FAN
When you are FOR someone you are a Fan For Them.
I am on your side!
WITH is a WALK
When you are WITH someone you Walk With Them.
I am by your side!
3 Barriers To Being Present WITH Others
Multi-Tasking:
Doing more than one thing at a time distracts you from the moment.
Clutter:
Excessive clutter increases stress and anxiety.
Busyness:
Our minds race from one thing to the next because have overloaded lives.
A MAP For WITH Success
Be Mindful
One Mindfully and focused.
Be Aware
Aware enough to understand and validate.
Be Present
Present non-verbally in the moment
Question:
1. Who are you WITH today? Write out their names on a piece of paper.