Our time to shine

Listen to your God
This is our motto
Your time to shine
Don’t wait in line
Y vamos por todo

Over spring break this year, our family of 6 took a vacation to Tanzania in Africa. We sponsor some children through Compassion, and wanted to meet them and their families. I have to say, this experience was more than I ever expected. Not only did it give our kids a perspective of a world we could only talk about at home, it opened my eyes to how to be Jesus to others in a new way.

I thought we would be serving the kids, but the centers we went to had something completely different in mind! When we pulled up on our little bus to the center where the kids meet once a week, they were lined up outside singing and shouting, “Karibu! Karibu!” “Welcome! Welcome!” They made us feel like royalty. They had practiced songs and dances for us. They showered us with gifts. They even made us all clothes, including uniforms for our kids that all the kids wear to the center. Their smiles and little hands reaching out to hold ours warmed our hearts. They were being Jesus to us.

In Matthew 5:16, Jesus tells us to let our lights shine so that God can be shown through us. The families and kids at the center were full of this light. I could see it in their eyes. I wanted to stay and learn from them, experience the joy they have, share love to others with them, change the world around them, shine my light. Unfortunately, and fortunately, we had to come home.

God is asking us to shine our lights WHEREVER we go…your favorite restaurant…the school your kids attend…the community park…Target…your neighbor’s front door…your next vacation…

There is a world out there to save. It may be across the globe or just around the corner. People need Jesus and they need us to show Him to them. Take a step. Pick up the phone and call that friend. Cross the road and take cookies to that lonely neighbor. Send an email to someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Get in your car and go visit your grandma. Book an airline ticket to catch up with someone who is important to you. Just smile at a stranger. People need you. God is calling me. He’s calling you, too. 

Listen to your God. This is our motto. Your time to shine. Don’t wait in line. Y vamos por todo.

This is just the soundtrack of our life.

Read more about what Jesus says in Matthew 5.