The Upside of Down

In the fifth grade I played an exuberant gym teacher in our school musical. (I’ll spare you the pictures of my toe-head afro and too-skinny self.) The play spoke of peer pressure and encourage drug-free living. It was called “The Upside of Down.” I didn’t know what that meant then, and I don’t know exactly what that means now.

Don’t worry — I have not named this post after the play because I want to experiment with drugs. All is well and we still just say “No” in the Dennis home.

But I’m on the upside of down today.

Jesus came to give us life abundantly (John 10:10). This doesn’t mean our paths will be lined with roses or that chocolate will rain from the sky. Life is filled with ups and downs. Life abundant simply means more ups and downs, higher ups and lower downs. The joy promised (Psalm 16:11), though, comes from traveling the roller coaster securely, knowing that a loving Father is in control and has our best interests in mind.

I’m on the upside. Life is good. I feel blessed, overwhelmed with riches and happiness and all things delightful.

At the same time I have several friends who are on the downside. They’re struggling with so many things that simply break my heart. I weep over blog posts and pray through conversations. I email and visit and pray some more. It is a privilege and an honor to share these burdens, and share them I do.

Someday soon it will be my turn. I’ll be on the downside and somewhere a friend on the upside will lend me her strength. She’ll pray with me and weep with me and we’ll lean on God together.

This family of God, this community built through faith, is a pretty cool thing.