Depth

Last night, I revisited my old youth group. I have such a great love for the people and teens that are a part of that youth group. Such a great love. But I am starting to get off topic before I even start! So last night, my old youth pastor, Blaine, near the end of his message, referred to a quote by Richard Foster: "The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people."
This really, really resonated with me last night, and has stuck with me throughout most of the day today. So much so, that I had to look up the quote, read a lengthy, amazing article, and then write about it. It all got me to thinking about what it means to be a person of depth. Is it just someone who is wise? Someone who reflects on everything that they do, say, or think? Someone who is able to hold a conversation about more than the weather, and other topics of small-talk? Someone who is well-versed in politics? Someone who is philosophical? These are all well and good, but I don't really think that is quite what being a deep person means.
I know so many people who strive to be deep. People who struggle to break free of the stereotypes they have been given. Stereotypes of being poor, stupid, uneducated, shallow, arrogant, entitled, selfish, uncaring, party animals, and much more. Yet, when compared to their accusers, sometimes, they had a better understanding of what life was really about. They had a depth about them. When I think about depth, I think of someone who is incredibly grounded. Someone who has great insight into the things of life. Usually, they are wise due to things they have witnessed, or experienced firsthand. These people had a depth that was not really their own, I would dare say. It was a depth that went down into the deepest parts of their soul. It was a rootedness.
Depth like this comes from someone who is so deeply rooted in Christ Jesus. To me, that is a depth, the only depth, that matters. Knowing the depths of Christ's love for us, and being totally rooted in Him. Unshakable. Unwavering. This is the depth I want to have. I want to draw from a spring source so deep that this world cannot even measure.