that's the one...

“I’m getting a paying job”. That’s what I said to myself as I walked away from a conversation a couple weeks ago.

Generally I am feeling like I am the most blessed person alive. I serve in a number of places and spend many days just talking to people. Talking about life, their life and struggles, about God’s incredible love for them and His pursuit of them. It can be tiring, but such a sweet spot for me. I love sitting with one or two people and just listening to their story and allowing our stories to intersect.

But sometimes, only sometimes, I feel like:

What am I doing here?

Am I wasting my time?

I don’t even get paid for this.

All this work and for what?

As usual, the Lord answers even the questions that I don’t speak aloud. And He usually uses visual aides or stories to do it. Today it was a reminder of several stories. The common denominator in them was a life change in one individual person. In several of the cases, it took multiple people, across a span of years, with this one person, to see their life impacted. Over and over I saw God expending a ton of energy and resources to show His extravagant love and care to this one person.

One person.

To me, I was wondering if it was a waste of time. To Jesus, it seemed like His favorite.

Jesus was always loving the person in front of Him. 

Listening to them. 

Valuing them with undivided attention.

When I read the Bible, I see an epic story, spanning centuries, woven by God and for God. He is accomplishing the purposes of his kingdom through many years and generations.

And while the story is epic, there is also room for the individual.

Jesus stops to talk to the children. 

He talks to women that most others ignore (unless they want sex). 

He talks to men that others hate. 

He finds the marginalized and invites Himself to dinner.

He seems to have some time for the crowds, but most of the time with smaller groups.

He sees with a vision that I can struggle with. I need new lenses. Or rather, I need His lens.

Jesus spends most of His time with a small group of people, instilling loving obedience to God, and helping them walk that out in daily situations.

And these people went on to change the course of history.

What about you? Who and where are you investing your time and energy? 

Who is the “one” or the small group you have placed in front of you? Do you see them? Is your lens cloudy or covered with a bit of grit from the day?

In my generation, I want to see the church change it’s posture towards the LGBTQ community and have a reputation for loving well. That’s the ‘crowd’ in my life. I want to spend some time there leading and talking. 

Most of that work happens in one on one conversations. One person at a time. Seeing. Loving. Valuing.

What about you?

(ps- if you also have the vision of seeing the church be a more loving space for our LGBTQ friends, consider sharing some of these posts, or older ones that you have enjoyed)