While his fellow student’s heart was filling with joy and compassion, this second student’s heart began to fill with questions and frustration.
He was a fisherman by trade and in his heart. He worked hard manual labor every day before the teacher called him.
He had given up a lot to follow this teacher and he had stood by and watched as the teacher called others to follow him — including this tax collector.
Like the tax collector, he made the connection.
He knew exactly what the teacher was saying. As he looked at the tax collector and saw his past and knew how much the teacher loved and cherished him. Continue reading A change of heart (part 2)
A group of men are sitting under a shade tree listening to their friend and teacher share his teachings.
The teacher’s quite fond of telling stories and today isn’t any different.
Growing up around Jerusalem they’re each familiar with farmers and shepherds and so the teachers asks, “If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn’t he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn’t want to lose even one of these simple believers.”
A pretty powerful picture for a group of men who had grown up with perhaps a slightly different take on farming.
After giving them a second to think on the story, the teacher continues, “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.”
Getting inked by Steven at Suffer City in Dallas | Photo by Laurie Blundell
It’s been a busy few months! (Or so it’s seemed.)
It seems like one or all of us are constantly going in one direction or another — and that’s just chasing our two crawling boys around the house — not including the other errands and events Laurie and I have had recently.
But perhaps the biggest (recent) news in my world is the new ink I had done on Friday night.
It’s something I’ve been wanting to do since my last tattoo (circa 2003) but I just hadn’t decided on a design or made the jump to drop the money on another one. (Single guys take note – getting married and having twin boys makes that even harder.)
But as a gift to me — knowing I’ve been itching for one for some time — Laurie, offered to give me a new tattoo for Father’s Day this year. She suggested it would be a special way to remember my very first Father’s Day. She was right.
It came as a bit of surprise, so I had to really start thinking seriously about a new tat design — right away.
Initially I had wanted a Sacred Heart of Jesus with the words Love Wins wrapped around it but I wasn’t 100% certain. I also toyed around with a winged heart and a few other ideas before finally settling on an extra bold font that seemed fitting for such a bold idea.
Along with the message “Love Wins.” I included two very important dates in my life – April 28, 2007 (the date I married my beautiful wife) and October 21, 2010 (the day our boys were born).
So after I finally settled on a design, Laurie and I headed to the tattoo shop Friday night while my parents watched our boys — unaware of what we were doing ;-).
And in the end — I’m really pleased with how it turned out.
Love Wins Tattoo | Photos by Laurie and Jonathan Blundell
While thinking about the final design, I told my friend Frank sometime Friday that it’s often hard to really believe that Love Wins.
Because if you believe it — you’ve got to live it. And if you live it, that means there are going to be times you have to give up your wishes, your wants, your will and give of yourself more than you ever imagined possible.
And we all know it’s so much easier to be a jerk to others than to lay down our life for them.
But I still believe it. I still believe it’s the only thing that has ever won and it’s still the only thing that ever will win.
What do you think? Have an example of when Love Won in your life? Share it in the comment section below.
Emmanuel was part of the Rwandan Genocide. This is his powerful second chance story told in his own words. He takes us through these real life events filmed on location in Rwanda.
