tipping the cup.

i remember i was at recent youth retreat and the speaker made a very interesting analogy. he had a paper cup filled to the brim with water and he picked a kid to hold it. he said "here hold this cup for me please." then he began to talk and he said "this cup is our lives as christians." and as he began to talk he started to nudge the kid's arm, a little water splashed out. the kid made a face like what the heck? but the speaker just continued on bumping his arm, more and more water splashed out. until finally he knocked the cup right out of the kid's hand. everyone was like what on earth is he doing? then he said


"this cup is our lives as christians. sometimes God nudges the cup, shakes the cup to see what splashes out, anger, fear, lust, sadness, or love, perseverance, strength, optimism. God tests us this is un doubted. and sometimes God will even knock the cup right out of our hands and you'll have a moment where you say 'why God?' we always face adversities that beg the question of the roots of our faith. death, divorce, debt, pain, illness. we expect life to be sunshine and lollipops but sometimes God knocks the cup out, and for what? he does it for the same reason he nudges the cup. to see how we react. to see after all the pieces are laying on the floor what we put back together, what we fill our cups with once they're empty. do we fill it with bitterness and anger? or love and compassion and jesus. . . "


that has been a big influence in my life. and it also reminds me of how my pastor said "don't expect to feel comfortable as a christian at any time... jesus was beaten and cut and tortured, his blood spilled to the ground..he died on a cross... don't expect anything to be comfortable or easy about this. this is the life we chose."

i had one of those days where people just knocked my cup all freaking day! then finally as we were trying to get home some stupid cop pulls up because one of the guys in our group decides to be an idiot and roll around on the highway. the cop yells at all of us... that was about all i could take so i yelled right back. he knew what i was saying was right so he drove off.
i wonder still if it was the right thing to do?


in a day where everyones "nudging my cup" what do you want me to do God?
look in the mirror and see you..