This morning I attended the District UM ministers' meeting. We always worship at these meetings with a service and communion (also called eucharist). One of our local pastors always preaches. Our preacher this morning was a woman I have known for many years - she is a very dynamic black woman who moved here the same time I did for her new church. Shirley is a great leader, and a person of great vision. She grew up in South Carolina, on a farm with 10 brothers and sisters. She witnessed poverty and injustice from an early age. Justice and compassion have been at the heart of who she is as a person and as a minister.
Shirley spent many years of her adult life living in New York City. Strangers are everywhere in new lands - whether it is NYC or Greensboro. She always knew that no matter where God called her, she was called to love the stranger. She was called to fight for justice for the stranger and to offer compassion.
When we make those life changes, whether it's a physical move or a new phase in life, it's easy to feel alone at times. Loneliness and isolation can surround us, even in the midst of a crowd. Yet, Jesus has given a specific command to us - love the stranger, love the enemy. For in Christ, there really is no stranger - we are all children of God and sisters and brothers.
I encourage you in this coming week to take time to get to know someone who is a "stranger." Pray for that person. If they are in need of justice or compassion, find some way to be active in that regard. It is when we befriend the stranger, that we are no longer a stranger ourselves.
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I feel like everyday we are making new choices and faced with new people and circumstances in our life. The life changes we make each and everday can have a huge affect on our outcome of life and the decisions we make. I am goin through a time in my life where I really don't know what God has in store for me. I think we can all agree to that to some extent. But it's really challenging and it makes you think about the decisions you make in your everyday life. With deadlines coming up and applications due within the next few weeks, its hard to tell people where I will be withing the next semester or even year. We really don't know what God has in store for us, but it's pretty exciting riding the waves and being able to find out sometime soon. And if He wants me somewhere, then I'm going wherever that may be at the time. We can NEVER make these decisions without God. That's one way we can avoid the loneliness and isolation. God will NEVER leave you and will never turn his back on you. So know that God is with you, you are not alone! Thanks be to God.
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