"But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience...as unknown, and yet well known..." II Corinthians 6:4,9
Good morning, ladies!
Have you ever wished you could be invisible?
I was a pretty awkward kid, and a very awkward teen. OK, I was a nerd--big, thick glasses, clunky clothes, all angles and tripping over myself. Never played sports, so P.E. class was a torture to endure. Give me a book any day.
Yes, there were plenty of times growing up that I wished I could have been invisible.
Some days I think I have gotten my wish.
France in many ways is a country where, if you don"t make an effort to connect with people, you just don't. Our village Boves is a small village that touches the larger city of Amiens, in the north of France. It's called a "dormitory city," because during the day, there is no one around. Both parents work. From 9am-6 pm, it's a ghost town. Then, people start trickling home, and then they shut themselves in their houses and don't come out again until the next day, to do it all over again.
On Wednesdays, I have a 15 minute train ride from Amiens to Boves, as I return home from teaching English. I try (usually in vain) to start up conversations with folks on the train, especially since I see many of the same faces each week. Their glowing, magic boxes have all of their undivided attention. We know there are others around us, but we have learned how to ignore.
Invisible.
Many times in the U.S., when we relate the struggles of starting a church work in France, people have asked us (sometimes in admiration, sometimes in disbelief) why we keep going back, how we stay focused and motivated to serve in a country where so few people care about God.
There have been many days when I have asked myself the same question. Am I really making a difference here? Do people really care? If we left tomorrow, would we even be missed?
Probably not.
But there is one to whom I am always known: God. The verse at the top of this blog jumped off the page yesterday as our pastor preached on it: "as unknown...and yet well known." I may feel alone, isolated, discouraged as day after day, week after week, time goes by without being able to connect fully to others around us, and share the wonderful news of God's love to them.
I may be invisible to those around me, but not to my God.
This is my encouragement, to go out again today, and meet with people, and share God's Word with them. There are so many people around me, who go through life wondering if anyone cares about them, and don't have the comfort of knowing that God cares.
Maybe today will be the day, that someone does.
Have you ever wished you could be invisible?
I was a pretty awkward kid, and a very awkward teen. OK, I was a nerd--big, thick glasses, clunky clothes, all angles and tripping over myself. Never played sports, so P.E. class was a torture to endure. Give me a book any day.
Yes, there were plenty of times growing up that I wished I could have been invisible.
Some days I think I have gotten my wish.
France in many ways is a country where, if you don"t make an effort to connect with people, you just don't. Our village Boves is a small village that touches the larger city of Amiens, in the north of France. It's called a "dormitory city," because during the day, there is no one around. Both parents work. From 9am-6 pm, it's a ghost town. Then, people start trickling home, and then they shut themselves in their houses and don't come out again until the next day, to do it all over again.
On Wednesdays, I have a 15 minute train ride from Amiens to Boves, as I return home from teaching English. I try (usually in vain) to start up conversations with folks on the train, especially since I see many of the same faces each week. Their glowing, magic boxes have all of their undivided attention. We know there are others around us, but we have learned how to ignore.
Invisible.
Many times in the U.S., when we relate the struggles of starting a church work in France, people have asked us (sometimes in admiration, sometimes in disbelief) why we keep going back, how we stay focused and motivated to serve in a country where so few people care about God.
There have been many days when I have asked myself the same question. Am I really making a difference here? Do people really care? If we left tomorrow, would we even be missed?
Probably not.
But there is one to whom I am always known: God. The verse at the top of this blog jumped off the page yesterday as our pastor preached on it: "as unknown...and yet well known." I may feel alone, isolated, discouraged as day after day, week after week, time goes by without being able to connect fully to others around us, and share the wonderful news of God's love to them.
I may be invisible to those around me, but not to my God.
This is my encouragement, to go out again today, and meet with people, and share God's Word with them. There are so many people around me, who go through life wondering if anyone cares about them, and don't have the comfort of knowing that God cares.
Maybe today will be the day, that someone does.
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