"You act more like a Christian by your influence on the lost, then the saved people you impress."
- Dr. Alvin Reid
I am quick to say a blessing to my friends who know I am believers than to a stranger who I do not know is a believer or not. I am quick to give someone a hug at my church who is having a hard week than to the little old lady who lives across the way from me. I know she is struggling yet I have not reached out to her.
This Christmas when I sat down to write out my Christmas letter that we send out every year I questioned whether or not to mention all that God is doing in our lives. I wrote 3 drafts and finally settled on the one that did proclaim all that God is doing in our lives. I was fearful to write this because Jeff and I decided we should send to our co-workers as well, not just our family and friends. But they are not believers-so I was a little afraid to put myself out on a limb like that. Do you know what happened? I received a call not too long ago from a co-worker who asked me to pray for her today because she was having a hard day.
Last week my team had a meeting. It's not often we are all in the same room with each other since we all work in our homes and they are on the road so much of the year. Every time one of them would say a curse word they would turn to me and say, "Sorry for my French." I laughed it off-I worked in the restaurant business for so long before this job that I am used to that. But later I told my mom this story and she said, "You could of said don't tell me your sorry just stop." But again, it was my fear that held me back.
One of the things that I feel like the Lord is calling me to do is to take more steps out in faith to reach out to the lost. I reach out to my church community but I don't do the same for the people in my neighborhood who may be in need of a little reminder that God is near. How can I do this? Well, since I am a list person, here is my list:
1. Bake cookies for the people around me in the apartment. Tie a bow with a little note telling them that God cares for them.
2. Ask the little old lady across the way if she is having a good day, cook her a meal. She is alone with no car and she could use some meat on her bones.
3. The cashier at our local grocery store, I know her whole life story-it's a sad tale really. Next time she is telling me something about her life I will ask her, "Do you know that Jesus loves you just the way you are?"
4. Our bank teller who knows us by name and who is struggling to raise 3 kids (Again another story told to me) next time he looks a little weary tell him, "Mrs. So and So is proud of you for providing for her and her kids-she may not tell you enough but I know she is."
5. When we move-we are praying that God would surround us with people to love. I pray that we will be able to look for ways to show them the love of Christ.
If we are called to be more like Jesus than shouldn't we do as He did while on this earth?
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the what was lost."
Luke 19:10
For More "In Other Words" see Laurel Wreath
I am quick to say a blessing to my friends who know I am believers than to a stranger who I do not know is a believer or not. I am quick to give someone a hug at my church who is having a hard week than to the little old lady who lives across the way from me. I know she is struggling yet I have not reached out to her.
This Christmas when I sat down to write out my Christmas letter that we send out every year I questioned whether or not to mention all that God is doing in our lives. I wrote 3 drafts and finally settled on the one that did proclaim all that God is doing in our lives. I was fearful to write this because Jeff and I decided we should send to our co-workers as well, not just our family and friends. But they are not believers-so I was a little afraid to put myself out on a limb like that. Do you know what happened? I received a call not too long ago from a co-worker who asked me to pray for her today because she was having a hard day.
Last week my team had a meeting. It's not often we are all in the same room with each other since we all work in our homes and they are on the road so much of the year. Every time one of them would say a curse word they would turn to me and say, "Sorry for my French." I laughed it off-I worked in the restaurant business for so long before this job that I am used to that. But later I told my mom this story and she said, "You could of said don't tell me your sorry just stop." But again, it was my fear that held me back.
One of the things that I feel like the Lord is calling me to do is to take more steps out in faith to reach out to the lost. I reach out to my church community but I don't do the same for the people in my neighborhood who may be in need of a little reminder that God is near. How can I do this? Well, since I am a list person, here is my list:
1. Bake cookies for the people around me in the apartment. Tie a bow with a little note telling them that God cares for them.
2. Ask the little old lady across the way if she is having a good day, cook her a meal. She is alone with no car and she could use some meat on her bones.
3. The cashier at our local grocery store, I know her whole life story-it's a sad tale really. Next time she is telling me something about her life I will ask her, "Do you know that Jesus loves you just the way you are?"
4. Our bank teller who knows us by name and who is struggling to raise 3 kids (Again another story told to me) next time he looks a little weary tell him, "Mrs. So and So is proud of you for providing for her and her kids-she may not tell you enough but I know she is."
5. When we move-we are praying that God would surround us with people to love. I pray that we will be able to look for ways to show them the love of Christ.
If we are called to be more like Jesus than shouldn't we do as He did while on this earth?
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the what was lost."
Luke 19:10
For More "In Other Words" see Laurel Wreath
