Observe & Receive

Read a story once about Albert Einstein. It said on the day he and his family were set to move, he was, as was his custom, in another world. He had been working in his home work space and came out to the street and encountered a little boy. "Little boy," he asked, "Do you know where my family has moved?" The little boy said, "Dad, Mom knew this would happen and that's why I'm here waiting for you!" I don't know how true this story is but it proves the point; we can sometimes be so wrapped up in what we're doing we miss the bigger picture. Is the glare of a smartphone or tablet screen dimming your view of the bigger picture?

If we observe more carefully at the bigger picture, we're set to receive a bigger blessing of what God has, is, and will, do in our surroundings. I've shared numerous times how when arriving to a charge conference I noticed a little girl playing outside her home across the street from the church. She and I shared the same skin color and that made her pause to see me get out of my car at this particular church. I smiled and waved at her and entered the church. During the charge conference I asked if anyone in the church knew that little girl's name. No one did. Is the glare of the routine dimming our view of the bigger picture?

Two men worked side by side for over thirty years. They both retired on the same day, and it was on that day they discovered they were both United Methodists! Thirty years of hello-how-are-yous, and not once, How was church? Thirty years. At least on the last day they finally shared at least their faith background. Is the glare of the mundane dimming our view of the bigger picture?

Think of all we have missed because we've not observed or shared as we should. Think more of what others have missed because we have not shared our faith story with them.

In reading from Acts this morning, it strikes me as how important the church once took sharing. In chapter 8 of that awesome book, in spite of the persecution, Christians running for their lives still found ways to share their faith stories with others. Philip, guided and blessed by the Holy Spirit, was able to share even while on the road the good news of Jesus Christ. Is the glare of fear dimming our view of the bigger picture?