What is Your Story – Everyone Has One

Good day! Ever get to the point where you feel you have fallen off the radar? And you were so lost and deep into it that you didn’t know if you could find your way out? And you didn’t know if you could ever be found. Maybe you even felt hopeless.

Lostness (verb) – The state of being lost; lost – unable to find the way: no longer visible.

Today let’s focus on “them” instead of on us. It’s easy to point our fingers at others who don’t understand us. And then talk about them with all the reasons why they are so wrong and not like us. “Well, they are just going to go to hell for being like that!”

Luke 19:19 esv

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Maybe it’s you who doesn’t understand them. Years ago I worked as a missionary to lost teenagers in the backyards of our very community. Our team worked with teens from every imaginable background, some of them from pretty rough backgrounds. I remember hearing comments at various times from some of the more refined folks of the town, saying teens are:

• nothing but trouble – always looking for trouble
• unruly
• self-centered
• disrespectful
• entitled
• never listening
• <<add adjectives you’ve heard>>

Guess what I found? And this is true for all ages, not just teens. If you get to know them you see their heart. They just need someone to listen, someone to trust. They just want someone to care. The only difference between my heart and theirs? They still had a hole in their heart, and the hole in my heart has been filled with the love of Jesus.

Everyone Has a Story – What’s Yours?

You would be amazed at what someone will share with you if you give them respect, time, and show that you care. Okay, I’ll say it:

It’s Not About Your Story, It’s About Theirs

It is not about your story. It is about theirs. This perspective comes along as your walk with Jesus matures in your every-day-kind-of-life. What is their story? I wonder what they are going through? Why are people so agitated, tired, lost, confused, mad and even angry?

I love this Chick-fil-A training video clip. Take a look:

Do You Remember How Lost You Used to Be?

Do you remember how lost you used to be? I remember how lost I used to be. Not many knew my thoughts or my heart. There was a group of Christians who had me on their radar. I went to parties dressed like Ace Frehley of Kiss. And I even dressed up like Alice Cooper during a school assembly one time. I was literally chained to two of my female classmates as they escorted me to center court to be recognized. And I am sure there were those who thought I was a lost cause.

Ephesians 2:12 esv

Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

If you feel lost, someone cares – I promise. Reach out to me if you need to hear that someone cares. My email is scott@youreverydaylife.org.

If you are someone who has found their way, Jesus is calling you to be a light to others. Your actions speak louder than words. Show them you care! Be a reflection of Jesus to them.

Challenge of the Day: No matter where you are and what you are doing, it’s easy to show someone you care, even in the smallest of ways. Yes, even a stranger. Jesus said if you’ve done it to the least of these, you’ve done it unto me. So be it!