Lift Off! 40 Days of Sacrifice - Day 12
Luke 10:36-37
Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."
Find a useful pathway for relationships. The needs that come with resettling in a drastically new place can be debilitating, so it isn’t difficult to identify service opportunities that lead naturally into relationships. Medicine can be a good option. We have a number of folks with medical training in our church, and we try to funnel them as volunteers to a medical clinic in our community that assists newly arrived refugees.
Other opportunities promise even more sustainable relationships. Our first avenue was forming playgroups between some moms in our church and moms in an immigrant community. It’s amazing what kids can do to diffuse cross-cultural awkwardness. And who doesn’t love a good playdate?
English-language learning is another huge opportunity. Helping someone with conversational English is a perfect pathway into relationship, and it only requires setting aside regular time to meet and talk.
These service opportunities are not pretexts; they’re legitimate ways to meet needs and show love. But what you’re aiming for is meaningful, life-integrated friendships. (tgc.org)
What has God given to you that can be used to create relationships both inside and outside of the church? Pray that you would be open to using your strengths to create such pathways and opportunities. Perhaps your career interest or major in school can be used to leverage such communication. You never know how God might use you with the simplest connect. Be available to His calling to connect with others as well as the chance to create ministries that lead into relationships beyond the church. Pray that God would simply use you as you are to create connectivity in communication and relationship.
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