Wednesday, December 1, 2010

cloud of witnesses


Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a
cloud of witnesses,
let us also lay aside every weight,
and sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with endurance
the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus,
the founder and perfecter of our faith...

Hebrews 12:1&2

Living in a foreign community brings home every day the reminder
that we are being watched.

This group of friends,
street kids who we hire and learn from,
gathered at our gate en masse the other day
to watch Michael on his scooter.

'mohulam?' (borrow?) and 'do it again!' were some of their shouted comments.

Eric and his sister come by every so often to stand and stare in our gate.
Above, they were watching Michael water the yard
(can you see them on the very left side,
and Michael on the very right?)

They stayed there for a long time, content just to watch...


Out in the community, too, we feel eyes on us.
We, a very white American family,
are pretty unusual.

How will they act?
How will they treat each other?
How will they treat me?
Do they live here?
Why are they here?


You might not have people staring in your windows,
but we're all watched, aren't we?

As believers in Christ, the world is watching us.

I'm not always comfortable with being watched.
I like my privacy.
And besides, what they see might not always be the best representation of my Savior.

I blow it.

I selfishly take the biggest cookie.
I get exasperated with my kids.
I speak unkindly to my husband.
I forget to pray.

I hope that I can point others to Him,
instead of to myself,

even as I look to Christ - the One who authored this faith of mine,
and the One Who is tirelessly working to perfect my faith
despite my failures.


6 comments:

Lori: said...

I was going to post this prayer on my facebook today and then saw your blog and thought it applied to what you have written here.

Of all hypocrites, grant that I may not be
an evangelical hypocrite,
who sins more safely because grace abounds,
who tells his lusts that Christ's blood
cleanseth them,
who reasons that God cannot cast him into hell,
for he is saved,
who loves evangelical preaching, churches,
Christians, but lives unholily.

from Vally of Vision

Praying for you and your family.
Lori

us5 said...

thank you, Lori. for the prayer and for your prayers.

Unknown said...

someone has to get the biggest cookie .... ;-)

us5 said...

but if i were unselfish, that cookie would go to my husband - especially after speaking unkindly to him! ;o)

Unknown said...

You mean I DIDN'T get the biggest cookie ??

us5 said...

ooops... :blush: i forgot that you read this blog, darling husband! ;o)