Reasoning By Analogy

I was talking to a friend about a personal problem I am having; something that's quite important to my life, but really doesn't affect those around me to any significant extent, and indeed is probably (rightly) invisible to the vast majority of my friends.

While I was sharing, I was surprised to get a large, genuinely emotional, reaction from him in response to some of the things I shared. My surprise must have registered with him, because he laughed and said essentially "Jamie! You don't realize how much I care about you!"

I was surprised because I had projected onto him behavior that I often engage in myself. When friends come to me for advice, I often listen to their problems, tell them what I think they should do, and then generally go on my way, emotionally unaffected by what they've just shared with me.

I think that too often I do the same thing with God; I don't realize the extent to which He cares for me and what He wants for me. I assume that He's like me-much quicker to do favors for those I like, or who are kind to me, than for others; playing favorites; consumed with my own affairs, etc. Like CS Lewis' analogy to a small child, I'm content to play in the mud because I don't know that the beach exists.

I was fortunate to get a reflection of God's love from this person. I think this leads me to want to change my prayer life to account for this new revelation, but I'm still deciding as to how.