I’m talking to you!
Have you ever been in a crowded place and heard those words? Hey, You! Most people will turn and look, to see who is calling? Are they talking me? Well today, this is what I’m hearing. Whom, you ask, is calling me? God. And I feel He is calling all of us, His church, today! Yeah, that’s right, all of us [His Church]! So today, before I share my thoughts I’m going to add a disclaimer! I am not talking about a specific church body or even a specific group of people (but hey if the shoe fits…..), I’m talking about the body of Christ, His Church at this moment.
To say that the last 22 months has been challenging and difficult would definitely be an understatement! Working in healthcare, I can say that, at least in that realm, our day to day way of doing things has changed. Our processes and procedures have changed, and yes some of them good and some of them not so good. In reflecting as most of us do at this time of the year, looking back at the old year and making resolutions for the new one, my heart and soul are stirred. In healthcare, I often get to see people at their worst. The patient who is sick and just a little grumpy. The family member lashing out, scared due to the illness of a loved one. A co-worker who is tired and snippy. As I venture out into my community, what do I see? A lot of hurting, scared, and frightened people who have lost their journey (whatever that may be).
The enemy of evil has been at work, weaving division, hate and mistrust throughout our communities! When did we lose sight of the fact that we are all the “same”? Underneath the surface, we are made of the the same organ systems. Trust me, I’ve been in plenty of surgeries to tell you that under the surface, there is NO difference. I heard a sermon recently where the speaker was relaying a time, when in college the class was given an assignment. The assignment was to introduce themselves. The speaker explains the class gave the normal expected introductions: I’m Steve and I work in a bank, married with 2 kids and I love to fish. This continued as each person completed their introduction. The instructor then addressed them and said that is all well and good but you did not introduce yourself. You told us your name, your occupation, about your family and some of your hobbies. He again gave the class the assignment, to introduce themselves but this time he told them you are not allowed to use any of the things previously used. You see, as humans, we often want to define ourselves and others by skin color, gender, ethnicity, school, education, career, family etc. to the point that we often loose track of the fact that we are all just humans, all alike underneath all those identifiers. Eventually, after several tries, the class finally came to the point of realization that we are all humans, the same underneath the surface. Yet we hid under our labels, the ones we give and the ones given by others. We are not those labels. We are all God’s creation.
Do you know your neighbor? What about the woman who sits behind your office cubicle, the man in the office next to you? What about the young family sitting across the church from you? The one you see every week, and think to yourself, they look tired. What about the bus driver who picks up your children or the man who delivers your mail? Not just their name, but do you know them? There is a huge hurting world all around us and it’s about time that WE STOP TALKING AND START DOING! Stop saying we are the “hands and feet of Jesus” when we don’t act like it! Stop wearing our WWJD bracelet and start putting some action behind it. All it takes is to be willing and to LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES!
So today, I want to challenge YOU ( US – His Church) to stop a moment and reflect. There is a world out there, [our communities] that is hurting, fearful, wondering and looking for answers, purpose. These people are out there, all around us! In our workplaces, the community markets, the schools, little league etc. and NOW is our time! His Church! In Matthew chapter 9, verses 37-38, we are told that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. I challenge all of us to renew our piety to Him, the one who holds every moment in His hands. That we rekindle our first love, our relationship to God. That we take our eyes off the world, the situations of the this moment and put them back on Him. I challenge you to pray for our world, our country, the “50 feet” around us every day. God can use YOU [us], His mighty army, His Church if we let Him!
God presents us with opportunities every day. Do you see them? or are you too busy with your own agenda to notice? Are you too busy in your circle of friends to notice that new person who just walked into your church? That hurting person who just walked into your job, your store, your school? I challenge you to widen your circle a little. Take the time to see and get to know the people He has already placed in your path. It doesn’t have to be perfect! All it takes is effort. Today, our world needs to SEE [not just hear] that God loves them and cares for them.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Today will you say, here am I Lord, send me?
Bouquets For Ashes 