8-17-16

A friend of mine just told me, "I do what I can."  I realize that I do much more than I can.

This isn't a good thing.

To do what we can means we have balance in our lives, we help as we are able.

To do more than we can means that we choose to love some with our whole hearts, physically and emotionally, while we neglect or are actively hurting others.

I need to learn to have more balance, to achieve enough rest so that I can love everyone, without exception.

In my case, this means that I have to have fewer people to love.  I am overwhelmed by trying to love everyone I meet or know, especially because so many people are drowning.  If I try to save everyone, I will just drown with them, the overwhelming need of the world drags me down.

I haven't been trying to save everyone.  But I've been trying to help too many.

I do this because I am frustrated with a church community, a neighborhood, a city that simply doesn't care for large groups of people they should care for.  I will stand in for them, to save people from death, as I can.

But everyone has to have a break.  Everyone has to have a limit.  I use up my energy like I do my bank account.  I figure I still got money in the bank, so I should use it up.

But this means that when I get home, my wife, my housemates, I have no love left for them.  My energy is depleted and I don't have anything left to give because I gave it all.

I need to force myself to be balanced so I have enough energy and love for those I am responsible for.  I can help others, and I must.  But not too much.

Whatever that looks like.