Thoughts on Inspiration

Jason preached last night on how as "little Christs" people should see Jesus in us, and be automatically attracted to that.  We have a community of people who genuinely care about one another, sharing in the pains and the joys, pouring into the lives one another. At least that's the idea.

My thoughts are more a long these lines: We meet very few people in our lives that make measurable impact. Crossroads people. People that inspire us to be better than we are. The only thing is, is that I don't think that they will necessarily always be that person for us. It's like a chance meeting on an interstate. You're driving along and there's a scenic bypass, this one car turns off, you decide to follow until that car goes off in another direction. But that scenic bypass made inspired you in some way.
When I was 18, I met my friend Jonathan Cannone, he introduced me to out-of-the-box thinking in a very real way. Christian existentialism. If we bring The Matrix into this for an example, he was just at the point where he could jump buildings, and he stretched me just enough so that I believed I could jump buildings too, and I succeeded. Jonathan went off in another direction, his spiritual path has yet to again coincide with my own.  He was a crossroads person for me. Because of him, I grew beyond traditional Christianity. I guess, though, I shouldn't say because of him, more with his help, I grew. My path was already inclined toward that direction, but he helped me leap across.
When I was 24, I met the people of LoveCanton. Ricky Miller inspires me to let go and let God be in control. He consistently reminds me that it's okay to have doubt, and that God is that dad who never lets go. He tells me I'm not insane for seeing God in coincidences. He reminds me to stop and pray.
The Schnabel's passion for life inspires me. They don't just talk their faith, they are remarkable doers. They are reducing their carbon footprint, they are passionate about helping people. They think outside the box of society, and they love the peace of the mountains.

Those questions of "Who am I?" and "Who have I inspired to be better?" are legitimate questions, not with the intention of making you feel guilty, but the intention of inspiring us to be better. Are we living our lives to the fullest, or do we make a half ass effort and skate through life without inspiring or being inspired?

Let's change our lives so we can help others change theirs. Let's jump buildings together.