by TRINA POCKETT
Western Divisional Field Director
Stonecroft Ministries
(See the original post HERE)

The other day, I was at the local high school for a quick meeting. As I was walking back to my car, I saw a teenage girl sitting on the steps with her head down. I said hello to her and started to continue on my way, but something stirred in my heart. I turned around and asked the girl if she was okay. She looked up with tears in her eyes and shrugged her shoulders.

I asked her what was going on and she began to pour her heart out. We talked for a few minutes and I tried to encourage her. Before I left, I gave her my cell phone number and told her that if she ever needed to talk, she could call me. About twenty minutes later, I received a text from this girl thanking me for taking the time to talk her and that “she really needed that.”

In all honesty, I didn’t do that much. All I did was show up.

As Christians, we should constantly be looking for opportunities to serve others in this hurting world. Sometimes that will make us expand out of our own sphere of influence. Here are some questions that might get you started in the right direction.

Do you have friends who are not Christians? Do you have friends of a different ethnic group or socio-economic status? Do you volunteer within your community? Have you ever talked to a homeless person?

Jesus was the greatest example of crossing all barriers to share His love with others. He didn’t allow social rules to dictate who He would minister to. He ministered to people from all walks of life. I believe that we should follow Jesus’ example.

Evangelism doesn’t just happen at luncheons or at Billy Graham Crusades. It happens every day of our lives. God has given us many opportunities to share His love—all we have to do is show up. Where might He want you to show up today?

My friend, Joel McBride, took a bunch of Jr. High kids over the Sierra Nevada to San Francisco to serve the homeless and destitute for a few days. He posted this comment on Facebook when he got back:

Joel McBride It’s easy to serve the overlooked & ignored when they are your focus and you travel away from home to meet them. But, now comes the real missionary work: noticing and serving them where they are in your everyday and everywhere life!!
Tuesday at 7:15am via Mobile Web · LikeUnlike · Comment

Here’s part of our conversation that followed:

Randy Siever Noticing is a spiritual practice. It requires discipline and regular, uh…practice (which is why they are called spiritual “practices”!). This is the challenge of the modern church…to move from spiritual events to spiritual practices. From hit and run connections with those outside to normal, respectful connections every day with those all around us. Thanks for making this observation and comment today. Glad you guys had a good trip!
Tuesday at 7:43am · LikeUnlike

Joel McBride and thanks to you, Randy, for reminding me of what you helped me discover over the past few years with these ‘practices’. It’s been too easy for me lately to slip back into my ‘ignoring’ mode. It’s been a prayer request for me as well as our youth group to become more other-focused. And, I need to be open and willing to have that prayer request become answered! Tuesday at 3:11pm via Facebook Mobile · Like

A rerun of a great, short video example of ordinary attempts, by Ken Sweers.