Revolution Pt. 4

Today I sat in Starbucks reading from a book when I noticed a lady do something very strange. She sat alone at a table drinking her coffee while reading the newspaper. Now this doesn't seem strange at all, in fact it seems quite normal...but it's what she does later that caught my attention. When this lady had finished her coffee she stood up, took her paper and walked out the door. She then proceeded to go to the garbage can and put the newspaper in the garbage! I don't know about you, but when I buy a newspaper at Starbucks I never throw it away...but rather I leave it in the used paper bin for others to read. What makes her decide not to leave her paper there but instead throw it in the trash? Is she a selfish person? Could she really be that person who says, "buy your own paper"? In my mind a newspaper is valuable beacause it contains important information and thoughts about our world and local community. True, much of it is sad and frustrating...but it's still important.

I like to share my paper because there are always those who don't want to buy one, but just might read it if it's free. When we talk about the Revolution Jesus invites us to, we have to as Christ-followers be very honest about our faith and ask ourselves if we are taking something (grace / freedom) that was freely given to us and withholding it from others around us. Let's be honest about how comfortable we can be going through life with our faith tucked deep inside refusing to share it. Is it because we've forgotten it's value? Have we become selfish with what God has given us? Like buying newspapers some people may never go find faith on their own...but they just might take God into their life if he's offered to them. This means we need to be open to conversations...open to messiness...open to investing in others' lives. This is the shared experience the disciples had in Jesus. Maybe it's the way it's supposed to be for all of us, all the time.

Peace and Love,
Rex