A friend once said that the bible is relational revelation, meaning that as you read and understand depending on where your walk with God is, the words that may speak to you something that you didn't get before. It's one of those aha moments, and you wonder why it never made sense before. Each of us are in a different place in life, and not one of us will see things exactly the same. Education, family, circumstance, life experience, all these things make us who we are and what we become.
Who we become, who we are, defines our perception, how we see things. I work a job where it is not difficult to become jaded, to think the worst of people, because that is what I see. While I choose to believe the best of people I am guarded, not only because of my job but also because of my past. This causes me to analyze nearly everything, and dissect things that not everyone would.
Early this morning (early for me), my kids put on a Tarzan movie. As I watched I thought of how popular it was, and why. Here is this man who was raised by apes, he is primal, he is unrefined, and a woman's dream. Jane, the sophisticated woman falls for this man, she teaches him the best she can to be somewhat refined, and the ape man is transformed. In this children's cartoon, there is a deeper meaning, one that is a relational revelation. You can't see it unless you stop and think about it.
Jane, the sophisticated woman leaves behind everything that she holds dear. She gives up the security in life, the modern conveniences to stay with this man. Self sacrifice, it's there so much deeper than anything else. It was an aha moment for me because I could hear God saying, what would you do for me? Yeah, and I didn't think He would do that with a kids movie, but there it was. She stepped out of her comfort zone, why can't I?
The more I thought about this comfort zone, the more I liked the idea of getting out of it. The thought of all the things I could accomplish out of my comfort zone. When we get comfortable, we do nothing, or we do the same thing over and over again. Do I really need to watch another show about the same thing in a different setting? Should I go to the same place every time?
Sunday morning my Pastor asked who had the opportunity to share the gospel during the week. I half raised my hand, then quickly lowered it. I had only been two places other than my usual work/home/church routine. The places I went I know one of them I could have shared the gospel, I reached out to people and invited them to church but nothing more. My routine, my day to day, doesn't get me out to the community that I so desperately want to reach. I have areas that I know that God has placed me in ministry, I am glad for them, glad for those I can effect. There are so many more out there, I just want to scoop them in my arms and tell them how much God loves them. Propriety and society prevent me from doing that.
In a world of social media and smartphone zombies, the social interaction we do have rarely comes from strangers. We have become so caught up in ourselves, in seeing who is commenting on our status or pictures, that we forget to look up. My goal, to step out of my comfort zone, to look up from my smartphone, and to see the world around me. As you read this from your computer, or your smartphone think about stepping out, even if it's just next door.
I heard the voice of the Lord saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me!" Isaiah 6:8 NKJV
Who we become, who we are, defines our perception, how we see things. I work a job where it is not difficult to become jaded, to think the worst of people, because that is what I see. While I choose to believe the best of people I am guarded, not only because of my job but also because of my past. This causes me to analyze nearly everything, and dissect things that not everyone would.
Early this morning (early for me), my kids put on a Tarzan movie. As I watched I thought of how popular it was, and why. Here is this man who was raised by apes, he is primal, he is unrefined, and a woman's dream. Jane, the sophisticated woman falls for this man, she teaches him the best she can to be somewhat refined, and the ape man is transformed. In this children's cartoon, there is a deeper meaning, one that is a relational revelation. You can't see it unless you stop and think about it.
Jane, the sophisticated woman leaves behind everything that she holds dear. She gives up the security in life, the modern conveniences to stay with this man. Self sacrifice, it's there so much deeper than anything else. It was an aha moment for me because I could hear God saying, what would you do for me? Yeah, and I didn't think He would do that with a kids movie, but there it was. She stepped out of her comfort zone, why can't I?
The more I thought about this comfort zone, the more I liked the idea of getting out of it. The thought of all the things I could accomplish out of my comfort zone. When we get comfortable, we do nothing, or we do the same thing over and over again. Do I really need to watch another show about the same thing in a different setting? Should I go to the same place every time?
Sunday morning my Pastor asked who had the opportunity to share the gospel during the week. I half raised my hand, then quickly lowered it. I had only been two places other than my usual work/home/church routine. The places I went I know one of them I could have shared the gospel, I reached out to people and invited them to church but nothing more. My routine, my day to day, doesn't get me out to the community that I so desperately want to reach. I have areas that I know that God has placed me in ministry, I am glad for them, glad for those I can effect. There are so many more out there, I just want to scoop them in my arms and tell them how much God loves them. Propriety and society prevent me from doing that.
In a world of social media and smartphone zombies, the social interaction we do have rarely comes from strangers. We have become so caught up in ourselves, in seeing who is commenting on our status or pictures, that we forget to look up. My goal, to step out of my comfort zone, to look up from my smartphone, and to see the world around me. As you read this from your computer, or your smartphone think about stepping out, even if it's just next door.
I heard the voice of the Lord saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me!" Isaiah 6:8 NKJV
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