What is it to share? - What is the Impact?
When we think of sharing what comes to mind is the 'giving away' - the freedom to pass on something of value; large or small. In this simple act of exchange one is the giver and one is the receiver with a mutual benefit for both from what is shared.
Our cultures have many expressions of the value of sharing. In Pacific cultures, the high value of community means that there is an easy sharing of items and knowledge so as to deepen the expression and bonds of mutuality. In Western cultures, despite our independent personal identities we encourage children not to be selfish by upholding the act of sharing, going on as adults to participate and celebrate philanthropic acts. Universally there is a high value on acts of selflessness that are the conduit of sharing.
In Labasa Prison, twelve inmates had gathered to be part of the StepOut-StepFree journey. This was the first time that we had run this class in this prison as our work in 'the north' is new and developing. As the sessions continued we could see both the confrontation and excitement in the men's faces. The comments typically were 'this is going deep' and 'why have I never heard/seen this before'
We were aware of the discussions taking place each evening in the dormitories as the men went back and shared what they were learning. What we didn't know was the profound impact of what was unfolding.
When a truth is shared it becomes good news; filling hungry souls with the possibilities of new things, new freedom, new potential. One of the men in the dormitory heard his inmate brothers sharing new truth from the class and it became a 'good' to his crushed heart.
All sin wants to remain hidden and this man's sin was that he had taken life, the life of another, which is an act of selfish destruction. Deeply convicted of his sin and seeing the truth of what had been shared as a gift to him, he went from denying to disclosing, from bondage to freedom.
I still don't know all the details but I can see the Spirit of God at work; sharing His work of the conviction of sin (John 16:7-8). I can see the stronghold of selfishness became defeated by a humble sharing - one to another. The result is that one man was lifted out of the miry clay - that's profound impact!
What can you share today?