It's about time

I love people.

Life is not meant to be lived alone, and I think that's quite obvious by the enormous amount of people who make up the population of the entire world. I realize huge crowds full of random strangers can often be frustrating (such as traffic, overcrowded concerts, and malls during the holidays), but that's because we don't actually take the time to get to know those people. All we know is that we have agendas, and they aren't part of them.

And that's sad.

There was a time in college where I somewhat isolated myself from a lot of people, and I can tell you right now that doing so is not a good idea by any means. It's so much better when you have others in your life there to walk with you in both times of goodness and darkness and to offer you encouragement when the storms just seem to keep pouring down on you. Even now, I live so far away from most of my friends and family, but I've been making greater efforts to make sure I spend as much time with them as I can, because every minute on this earth is precious. We don't know how much time we have left here, and I want my time to be worth every second.

And spending time with others spreads love that needs to be shared.

Share time and love.

When we're with people, it's definitely a lot easier to show them God's love than when we're apart. God has called us to love others. The good Word says in 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." I think those first two words are so significant: Above all. How can we truly love people deeply if we aren't spending time with them? Jesus loved the world so much that He died for all of its sin, and He spent time with these same sinners before He was nailed to the cross. And He wants us to spend time with Him, too.

My dear friend Michelle says, "You make time for the things you want to make time for," and that's truth. Sure, we have limited hours in the day, but there are sacrifices that can be made to be able to go grab a cup of coffee or some froyo with those who really might just need your presence in their lives. You never know just how much of an impact you can have on another by offering a lending ear to a friend who needs to talk, a word of encouragement for a friend in need of a wise heart, or a hug for a sister who just needs to be held for a few minutes. The truth is that every single person in this world matters. No, you can't touch or change the lives of all of them, but you sure can impact those around you who might need you the most.

And all you have to give them is a little bit of your time.

God loves us and died for us. There's no reason why we shouldn't die to ourselves a little bit to spread that love to others. This world is full of so much hate and selfishness, but spending time with others in the name of love can overpower that. Love will always win.

And it's about time we start proving that.