Latest revision as of 12:51, 23 May 2008

3/16/2007

Last night while up late working on a church promo video; my wife stumbled into my study saying someone was ringing the doorbell. It was about 11:30 at night, and a hundred thoughts went through my head; the first of which was I should probably put on a shirt!!

I walk with my wife back to the bedroom and grab the top shirt in my drawer, interestingly enough a "Satan is a dork" t-shirt; then I walk down the stairs, and sure enough I hear the doorbell; ding dong, ding dong; my first thought is ahhh they are going to wake the baby. My second thoughts are who is this crazy lunatic ringing my door at nearly midnight! I sneak down into our dining room and peer out the bay window, and there on the porch is a young woman; apparently all by herself. I look around I can't see any sign of a vehicle, or other people, so I go back and talk with Jenny. She is needless to say scared; and worried for the safety of herself and Jordan; as am I. Ultimately I go back down to the dining room, turn on the lights, and open the window so I can chat.

It turns out that this woman had a fight with her boyfriend, who left her at the side of the road, and took off with her car. All she wants is to borrow a phone. At this point with another quick glance to make sure there is no one else around, I open the door; and invite her in. I hand her the phone, she calls someone, probably a parent; and asks for a ride. As we talk before she leaves the young woman said "I saw your light on, so I came and knocked"

Thinking about that this morning, it blew me away. "I saw your light on, so I came and knocked" Jesus calls us to be the light of the world. If I hadn't been working late on a video promo for church, I wouldn't have had this opportunity to help; there would have been no light on. It would have been dark.

Luke 8:16 (NIV)

16 "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

Matthew 5:6

6 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Every day Jesus calls on us; how do we answer him. I honestly didn't feel powerful; I was afraid, for my family, for what might happen, was this someone wanting to size up the house to come back and steal stuff? hurt my family? I didn't know. I do know what God has called us to do though. As we have recently talked about a lot at church:

Matthew 6:19-22

19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 

What good is it if I accumulate things, but because of those things I become afraid and extinguish my light. So though afraid, we still need to light the light, and fight the good fight; even if we need to "do it afraid" Joshua Patterson <>< Copyright © 2007 [Joshua Patterson]. All rights reserved. Revised: March 16, 2007 .

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