Whether we know it, or even want to acknowledge it, God is always speaking. The real question is are we really listening?
Last semester during one of our “Tune-In” Thursdays, we were listening…to some great music! We were hearing lots of new music and meeting lots of cool folks. One of those new faces was Shawn…and he needed a blanket. When we asked why, he said he needed it to keep warm since he was sleeping under the I-12 bridge. Through a series of unfortunate and unforeseen events, Shawn didn’t have a place to stay that night. Shawn had a job lined up and simply needed a good nights sleep before work the next day.
In Matthew’s eye witness account of Jesus, he wrote that Jesus told his friends “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Basically, Jesus was telling His friends, (and telling us), every time we offer food to someone who is hungry; every time we give a drink to someone who is thirsty; every time we welcome in someone different that us, provide comfort and care, and spend time with someone who is lonely, we are doing these things for the creator of the universe.
So…we had a very special guest show up at “Tune-In” Thursdays between Vega and The Zak Garner Trio. We made sure that He had more than a blanket. We made sure he had food, a tasty beverage, and a warm, safe place to sleep. We even made sure He got to work on time.
We thought that would be the last time we saw him, but He showed up again during one of our Kairos Monday Gatherings. He simply came by to say thanks. He found a place to stay, his job was going great, and things were looking up. We shook hands and he went on His way.
It’s easy to look at our crazy world and think everyone is out to get you or hurt you. It’s harder to see the good in people. Just remember, you never know when the creator of the universe is going to show up. He might ask for a blanket, money, or even a place to stay. He might just come by to catch some good music.
The questions is, will we welcome Him in?