Going
A few days ago I traveled about an hour outside the city to the open country. The drive out was filled with mixed emotions. I was excited to catch up with a young lady I had not seen in a few years and celebrate with friends. Yet I was also happy at home, sitting and resting after a day filled with hard work. As I landed ‘deep’ in country life at a local community center, I found this young lady. We connected with a joy filled hug and tears. We spent time around a table catching up on life. Plans were made to gather again soon because we did not want to lose the community we found with each other again. As hard as it was to leave the comfort of my home, the drive was worth every minute.
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep. — Luke 15:3-7.
LEAVING UNITES
With serving, God asks us to leave our family in open country to go invite guests into community. It is hard because where we stand is good. We are with people we love. We are doing things we enjoy. We know what to expect in these familiar rhythms. But going deeper and inviting others in gives us a chance to be a part of a story where God's love is known by them. In the process, community is built. The guests get to become our neighbors!
With our movement and words, guests can be found and invited into community.
Our day to day open country looks a little different than a sheep pasture. It is driveways, front doors, sport stadiums, and store lines instead of rocky fields and shepherd staffs. Going deeper is not walking further into the hillside. It is moving ahead into concrete and stucco…and sometimes little country community centers.
It is stepping away from the jobs filling our day to find the one who does not yet belong. It is stepping into our communities and workplaces to engage one guest in conversation, give them a hug, or walk together as they look for a friend to enjoy life with. It is in these conversations, hugs, and travels where guests are loved. In this love, they become neighbors.
NEXT STEPS
Our ninety-nine are not wool covered, hooved toed sheep. They are the friends and family we spend our day with. The ones we love dearly and would give our all for. The ones who know God has already given His life for. The ones who are His sons and daughters. Because of faith, God will always protect our 99 and provide a home for them to rest in as we go into the places guests reside. In rest, God is patiently waiting to use us as His hands and feet to go after the one that walks by!
1. Go with intent: Sometimes the one wanders because they are truly lost. They bumped up against us and run because they are not yet a son or daughter of our King. Do you see a neighbor upset as they race into their house after a long day? Turn off the lawnmower and leave it in the yard. Do you see a coworker struggling to carry their bags into the office? Ask your coworker to cover your task. And go. Knock on the door. Pick up the dropped bag and carry it. The lost only bump against us for a fleeting moment as we move through our days. Offering a connection as soon as we see them is important.
2. Ask and Listen: Sometimes the one wanders because they are distracted by what life has placed in front of them. They are present, but not fully present. Maybe it is a circumstance adding weight to their walk, a comfort too easy to rest in, or a relationship going so well it tricks them into thinking it is better than their relationship with Christ. Go to them, ask them to tell their story, and listen as they share.
3. Learn a Name and Return: Sometimes the one wanders because they are lost without community in a sea of people. We met them at church or in a crowded sports field. They have worshipped their love (of God or game) fiercely and come out unsure of where they are going next. Move towards them, call their name, and walk out together. Leaving together provides an anchor in the sea for the lost to hold onto.
4. Be a Place of Rest: Sometimes the one wanders because life is full of chaos and there is no place to pause and regain their footing. They are fully present in front of us physically, but emotionally they are lost. They are climbing a hard hill or sliding towards a ditch that is unseen by us. Offer a hello as they walk into your workplace or as you pass by each other in stores, parks, and homes to give them a place to stand for a moment. Invite them to take a seat next to you to give them a place to rest.
5. Rejoice: When we make a connection with someone who is wandering, rejoice! Pick up a thank you card and write them a note. Share your story of connection with family and friends. Heaven potentially growing bigger is always worth celebrating in your community! Call your newfound wandering friend during the week to say hello or grab a meal together.