Many of you know our car was broken into on a recent trip back home for a furlough this summer. As we were retrieving a police report, I found myself caught in a sea of people at the Shelby County Jail. We were checked, had to walk through three metal detectors, and even had a temporary photo ID made. It was a very new experience to me.
It got me wondering about the families that come here regularly to visit loved ones. It got me thinking of the way of life of those who for whatever reason find themselves in a life of crime. Then God brought my thinking to him, or her, or they – whoever it was that stole our things. I wondered what their life was like. What was it like for their family? I realized whether I liked it or not, I was connected to this person. God had me “walking in their shoes” for a bit that morning. I found my anger melting away. I found myself with mercy and concern.
God connects us for all kinds of reasons. God has created us to relate to one another and He allows things to happen that connect us. Some connections are simple and strong, like the connection that is made between a baby and its mother or father. Or connections that little kids make over a ball or game. Maybe it’s a quick connection, like the ones that happen daily during normal interactions. The kid that sells you your Starbucks coffee, or the guy who helps you know when a cantaloupe is ripe at the grocery store. And even sometimes he connects us to those who we would never pick to connect. I have found God bring to mind this person more than a few times to pray for them. He has me thinking about the other connections He has for me and wondering if He wants more from me through these connections.
What about you? Are you seeking what God would have for you through your connections in your life?
Connecting with children we serve during a pool party celebration that Back2Back hosted