Are you willing to call their bluff?
I'm waking up this morning to a quiet house. The last of our guests left this morning at 4:00 a.m. At last check, they were almost home with very light traffic on the roads. We are very thankful to everyone for their prayers. Our guests had favor on the roads. Their drive times were amazingly short compared to what we heard from other friends. They were all relaxed and said this was like an impromptu vacation for them. We kept the TV news off most of the time and only checked in briefly to see what was happening. We made fun of the TV station's fear monger type coverage when we did watch it. So it kept it light for everyone. I learned how to play poker from my nephew. I was ahead for a while, but my 17 year old nephew, wearing his 80's Ray-Ban knockoffs in true poker style, bluffed his way to victory. We left the house as often as we could and went shopping. Some of our guests took a family foray to the local mall. We cooked huge pots of spaghetti and gumbo and enjoyed each other's company. All in all, we believe we were successful in keeping everyone calm and entertained.
You wouldn't have know from the activity in our little town that there was a Hurricane in our neighboring state. Everyone one was working, shopping, eating out and going about their business. The sky was blue and we didn't get a drop of rain. How often do we do this in our own lives? Do we have neighbors that have a Hurricane in their lives and we don't even know it? Are we so busy and stuck in our routine that we don't pick up on the little signals someone is giving us that they are in trouble? Can we peer past their "Ray Bans" and tell if their "I'm fine" is a bluff? I am reminded of the words of Gal. 6:2, 10
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
My prayer is that I will become more sensitive to the signals others around me are giving and to do something about it. I want to have the courage to roll up my sleeves and get dirty in other people's lives even when I'm busy. I will strive to pop my little "busy bubble" and be present when someone needs an ear.
You wouldn't have know from the activity in our little town that there was a Hurricane in our neighboring state. Everyone one was working, shopping, eating out and going about their business. The sky was blue and we didn't get a drop of rain. How often do we do this in our own lives? Do we have neighbors that have a Hurricane in their lives and we don't even know it? Are we so busy and stuck in our routine that we don't pick up on the little signals someone is giving us that they are in trouble? Can we peer past their "Ray Bans" and tell if their "I'm fine" is a bluff? I am reminded of the words of Gal. 6:2, 10
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
My prayer is that I will become more sensitive to the signals others around me are giving and to do something about it. I want to have the courage to roll up my sleeves and get dirty in other people's lives even when I'm busy. I will strive to pop my little "busy bubble" and be present when someone needs an ear.
Comments
It is hard to practice listening with our heart instead of our ears...it is something I am working at continually.