Sometimes we go on mission trips and experience profound opportunities to share the love, grace, and gospel of Jesus. These are wonderful slices of life that we lock in our memory banks and never forget. On these excursions away from “normal life” we often engage in meaningful outreach encounters.
At other times there are moments when we meet a person who is hungry for spiritual things and they initiate a conversation about faith. In these moments there is ripe fruit hanging low in a tree and it seems to fall off with a slight breeze of the Holy Spirit. These are also wonderful times!
Most of the time, as we walk through an ordinary day, these are open doors that we need to walk through. In the flow of life, God provides many opportunities for us to serve in the name of Jesus, tell a story of faith, share the gospel, pray with someone who is still far from God, or engage in a spiritual conversation. These are doors that are open, but we must take a step in.
Do you look for open doors? Do you pay attention to the opportunities that are in front of you each day? When you see a potential open door, do you say a prayer, take a step forward, and discover what God might want to do?
The other day I was standing across the counter from a salesperson that was wearing a few necklaces, including a cross. I saw an open door. I did not kick it in. I did not barge in. I simply took a step. “I love your cross, does it have special meaning to you?”
She looked at me, a bit surprised, and told me she was Catholic and that the cross was a gift. I asked a couple of other questions and we had a great conversation about her faith-background and the fact that she was not really engaging in any church or spiritual community at this time in her life. I invited her to the church I serve, and also encouraged her to find some group of Bible believing Christ-followers. She was thankful and let me know she really appreciated the conversation.
I saw a door, I walked through it, and God did a work in the life of this lovely young woman!
Look for open doors, notice them, walk through, and see what God does.