One of the biggest challenges that I’ve faced in the journey of my Christian life has been my tendency to be introverted with my faith. I have an intellectual bend that at times draws me so much into a state of solitude that I forget about the rest of the world around me. I’ll also confess that I’ve been so afraid of unbelievers pigeonholing me into the mold of a Bible-toting fanatic that i’ve allowed the pendulum to swing too far in the opposite direction, rendering me ineffective as a witness of Jesus’ love. I believe there are times for solitude, and there is a need for sensitvity toward unbeliever’s so that we don’t repel them from coming closer to Jesus. But, I don’t believe that we should allow those things to cause us to live imbalanced Christian lives. When I read the gospel accounts I’m confronted with the Jesus who gives. He would often be on his way to spend time alone with his Father when He encountered a blind man, a leper, a crowd of hungry people hanging on His every word. Although He guarded the time He spent in solitude and prayer as precious, often (seemingly more times than not) He stopped and healed the blind and diseased, and fed the hungry. In His times of teaching and instruction he told the story of the Samaritan who had pity on the man who fell into the hands of robbers on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho. The Samaritan dressed the man’s wounds and took him to an inn where he could be taken care of and payed for all the expenses. This giving Jesus ruffles the feathers of my solitude, and challenges me to live a life which follows his example. There are people that we encounter virtually everyday who are spiritually blind, emotionally leperous and starving for the saving knowledge of Jesus. It may not seem obvious to natural eye, but it is the truth. We are called to be the hand that heals and feeds these in Jesus name. I’m challenged by the words that Peter uses to describe the heart of God, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentence” (2 Peter 3:9). I want to demonstrate the inclusive nature of Jesus to those around me. I want to give the life that Jesus has given me away.