Letting Love Thrive
In science this week we began to learn about habitats. We discussed the habitats a pet needs, the habitat a learner needs, and the habitat we can create in our hearts. We talked about what are the needs that a basic habitat should include so that we can survive. However something that I realized is that I don’t want to just survive. I don’t want to create a classroom culture where students just survive. I want to create a culture and environment where we as learners can THRIVE. It is the same in our fish bowl. When we purchased our fish he had what he needed. He had a tiny cup of water and food everyday. He had what he needed to survive. But we as a class didn’t want him to just survive we wanted him to THRIVE. So we gave him a large space to swim around in, we gave him rocks to hide in, we gave him a filter to keep his home clean, and in doing that we allowed our class pet to thrive. Lastly we explored what it means to create a healthy spiritual habitat in our hearts. We talked about what kind of things we want in our hearts and what kinds of things we want to keep out of our hearts.
After teaching this lesson to the kids I began to really ponder what that means in my life. The truth is so many times (more than I want to admit) I am OK with doing the bare minimum in my heart. I was convicted that I am not always creating a place in my heart for love to thrive but only to survive. Often I give exactly what is expected and work as only to get by. Through teaching this lesson on habitats for our fish and what makes a habitat for our class to survive I was reminded that I didn’t want my heart to be a place that only survives. I want what happens in my heart to overflow into my life and to those around me. I want it to thrive. I want to be continuously transformed. I want to serve in the biggest way possible, I want to love others with every fiber of my being. I want to pour myself out completely to those around me. Only then is it possible to create a environment in my heart that is continually being filled and poured. I want to be like a fountain that serves as a vessel to share what has been given to me with others. I have been challenged to no longer see myself as a cup that needs to be refilled to pour out my portion for the day. Now I view myself as a fountain that is in continual community with the source of life. The fountain never runs dry, it's roots run deep and continually pump from the source. A cup runs out, it has return to the water because it separates from the source. It can pour out and it can reach others but only in a limited way(survive). I want my limits to be endless because if I continually visit the source and keep myself connected to Christ I will never run dry. My source will never run dry. When I begin to view what I am given as resources that flow through me as a fountain instead of collect in a cup I will begin to truly love others and create in my heart a place where Love can thrive!