Outside Our Comfort Zone

We are having a missions conference at our church this weekend.  Our speakers are Eric and Ellen Peters, missionaries with Pioneers, who serve in Thailand. They spoke about their 20 years in the mission field and people they have met.  But along with that, they focused on the mission field in our own backyard.  We meet and interact with many people every day that we do not know personally.  If we pay attention, we will be able to discern their areas of need.  He explained that often a person's condition may place them outside our comfort zone - and that is exactly the type person God wants us to reach out to.  Jesus is our example of One who left His place of honor and splendor, left His comfort zone so to speak, and stepped into the lives of those who were not like Him at all.  He made Himself available to us, revealed Himself to us, because He loves us so much. Missionaries usually go to countries where they are foreigners, to tell people about Jesus.  I think the people are intrigued as to why missionaries would leave their homes to come and tell them about Jesus.  Maybe they listen to someone who is different than they are just because they went out of their way to reach them.  Jesus went out of His way.  We should go out of our way too.  Tell the manicurist how God answers your prayers and then give her a better than average tip - a tangible reminder of God's goodness, expressed through your life.  Say God bless you to the bag boy who takes out your groceries.  At the drive through, treat the busy worker with respect and look them in the eye and say thank you - when they see your cross or fish on your bumper as you drive away, they will associate your kindness with God, and kindness and good impressions last a long time.  In the doctors office waiting room, comment something pleasant about the person beside you and give them a good word.  Let them know that you trust God for the outcome of your appointment, and tell how He is always beside you, working things for your good and will be there for them too, if they put their trust in Him.  There are so many opportunities to pour God's goodness into the lives of others.  See how many people God can bless by your actions and words every day.