August 2024
The sun was beginning to set as I sat in a darkened room with my keyboard tonight. My screen was so bright it was nearly blinding me, and I was anxiously contemplating what I would share with you this month. The house was quiet (which is so rare these days) and I chatted with God once again about what should go in the next blog. In most cases He typically guides me to the right topic over the course of a month, but not this time. This time I have felt so… lost. Like items in a room being hidden by shadows, I struggled to bring to light any topic of conversation. So, instead, I just stared out the window. That’s what I do when I feel lost. Stare. It’s probably awkward for others if they’re near me, but for some reason the quietness of gazing out a window calms my restless heart a little. As I was staring through my fingerprint-streaked window I watched my neighbor boy step out of his back door to let his dog out. He had the same baseball shirt that one of my boys owned, telling me he must’ve played ball one summer. I probably saw this kid 20 times at the ball fields and had no idea he was my neighbor. He took a rake, swung it like a baseball bat, roamed the backyard with his dog, and my heart sank. How many of my neighbors have I not met? No matter the excuse, these are my neighbors - the people God put in my vicinity to be a light - and I don’t even know them.
How many of them are like me: lost? Maybe they’re not lost on what to write to their subscribers, but they could be lost in so many other ways. They could be desperate to find a job because they were recently laid off, or just moved here because the Air Force assigned them to the dreaded frozen tundra of North Dakota. They may be afraid because they’re pregnant for the third time and are praying this one makes it, or they long for life with meaning and have no clue that their Creator loves them thoroughly and wants to guide them into a life with deep and earnest meaning. But I don’t know, because I don’t know them.
I am a firm believer in taking advantage of the influence I have, wherever I have it. Whether it’s with co-workers, friends, teammates or more… God has put these beautiful people in my life for a reason. The gospel writer Matthew reminds me of why God put me where He did when it says that I should “let [my] light shine before men in such a way that they may see [my] good works, and glorify my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, NIV). I am the light of the world, the salt of the earth, and I am to make disciples of all nations. I say I believe in being an influencer, but have I put my money where my mouth is?
What would happen if on a Saturday morning when my neighbor is mowing their lawn, I step out with my cup of coffee and say, “good morning?” Or on a Tuesday evening after my kids’ team practice I grab the mail at the same time as another neighbor and put out my hand and say, “hi?” Or what if I looked over the fence, wearing my fishing cap and just barely peeked over while saying, “hi-di-ho neighbor!” Haha ok, maybe not that one- we’ll save that one for show business.
On the other hand, what would happen if I never stepped out and chose to live as though I were the light of the world, or that I was the salt of the earth? What if I chose not to build relationships with those around me, letting my light shine and allowing others to see Jesus IN me? What if I stayed within my comfort zone and willingly never made disciples?
God, I want to be bold like Peter in Acts 2, eager like Paul in Romans 1, and brave like John in Acts 4. May I live as though Jesus is coming tomorrow. I want to always remember that Jesus rejoices when the lost are found, and that my life and my story can help open the eyes of the blind. Thank you for showing me something so profound in something as simple as a neighbor boy and his dog.
I wonder what my neighbor boy and his family’s names are…
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“Remember it’s not just about how God and the gospel fits in your story, but also about how your story fits into the greater story of the gospel.” -The Gospel Coalition
So true!