Shine

 This past few days Ive met a lot of people who are really struggling with stuff .   My boss has been really unwell.  The guy who leads up our church recovered from Covid and is now down with some other bug along with his kids.  Yesterday I met a friend who is going through a marriage breakdown and is devastated.  Someone else I know was knocked off their bike on Monday and has just had several hours of surgery on her face to repair her eye socket and jaw.  The care company that provide carers three times a day to a friends elderly parents suddenly went bust and left them high and dry.   All of a sudden wherever I look there are people having a bad day.

In our housegroup this week we were talking about the dreaded word ' mission'.  We've been looking at a series of topics around the question of how to be and make resilient disciples.  And this week it was all about taking the message out and about.  Being salt and light.  Having an outward focus to stop us becoming irrelevant naval-gazers.  We talked about how its sometimes easier to go on a  ' trip' and tick a few boxes to say you've ' done evangelism' than it is to just be a steadfast and good witness every day to our work colleagues, our families and people in our street.  Is it enough to just be nice and kind and helpful and friendly in the hope that people will see Jesus in us?  There are plenty of really nice , helpful, friendly non-christians out there.  We should surely be different.  How are we different, if indeed we are?

We chewed over these questions and added a whole lot more.  I think most of us ended up agreeing that we are called to be a blessing first and foremost.   We need to let Jesus speak and act through us and trust that, even if we dont always see it, He does show Himself to people through us.  We also agreed we need to be bolder.  We have the Truth and the truth is what sets people free.  We know the Prince of Peace and people need to be introduced to Him so that they can find peace in their own lives.  We know the healer. The provider. The binder of broken hearts.  All of the friends I mentioned at the start of this blog need Him more than they need kind words or sympathy from me.  But I do have a part to play.  

For my sick boss, I have been praying but I also covered some of her classes.  To my friend grieving the end of her marriage I spoke some truth to remind her that not everything has been destroyed.  She existed before she was married and she can survive as a woman alone with God's amazing help and sustaining.   For my injured friend I asked some prayer teams to pray for her - which they did. And she was able to testify to the sense of peace and presence of God before she went into surgery.   My friend who has been let down by carers needs a miracle.  So Im praying for that and will go and visit as soon as possible to see if I can be of any help.    Im not telling you all of this to make myself look good.  Im telling you about my week so that you (and I ) can see that despite me not being an evangelist, and despite me not being on a mission trip, Ive had loads of opportunities this week to show and pray and tell people about Jesus.  And Im sure you have too.

Your job in this life is to be a blessing.  Bring hope.  Speak truth.  Be kind. Act generously.  Love fiercely.   People out there need to be blessed. Your light shines in the darkness and the darkness can and will not overpower it.