shadow

Starr Ayers

Souls Unglued

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“What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!”

Matthew 10:27, NLT

DSC01353-2The first morning of writer’s boot camp, I was almost booted to the floor. As I lunged forward, the corner of the mattress broke my fall. Boot camp coordinators had given us a charge to “Advance!”, but I’m relatively sure nose-diving into the carpet wasn’t what they had in mind.

I looked down at my stylish black boots—the likely culprits. One sole had become unglued and now flapped precariously with each step. (Note to self: Always pack two pairs of black shoes.) I scuffed my way to the conference room, hoping to remain upright while trying to hide my fashion faux pas.

God never misses an opportunity to teach, and my well-ventilated shoe amplified his message for the morning: Sometimes it is good to come unglued.

Let’s face it. It’s easier to coordinate our outfits than our lives. We are not glamorous runway models depicted in flawless, airbrushed glossies. We are world-worn sojourners with a God-given message and a call to be real. Can we really say, “God use me to share your message,” and then stop short of baring our souls? Transparency may cost us, but the soul of another is priceless. Are we willing to pay the price to affect someone’s life for eternity?

Christ gave his all. Should we do less?

God has entrusted us with unique spheres of influence, and our experiences set us apart. If we remain silent, our stories will be left untold, and His will remain unheard. Who knows, baring one’s soul may actually become fashionable and bring life-changing results.

So flap open your soul, and wear your faux pas with style.

Blessings,

Starr

Sidestepping Death

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“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.”

Luke 10:33, NIV

Mom-2“Have a nice day!” the woman in front of me said to the cashier as she made her way toward the door. Reaching for my wallet, I stepped up to the cash register to pay ― then heard an ominous thud.

Moments earlier, the vibrant woman had imparted words of cheer. Now she lay motionless. Several employees rushed to her side while the visibly shaken cashier proceeded to ring up my purchase. Then, grocery bag in hand, I stepped around the commotion and walked to my car.

I felt horrible leaving the scene. I was morbidly struck by the ease with which my life carried on while it came to a screeching halt for another. Shouldn’t I do something?

That day’s dilemma may appear uncommon, but we step around those who are dying every day. Our problem, in general, is not that we deliberately cross the road to avoid the man in the ditch. Our problem is we never see him lying there. We engage in conversations with people continents away as we fail to make eye contact with the person directly in front of us.

The widespread malady of sin infiltrates our culture, and with stealth like accuracy snuffs out thousands of lives a day. It’s a shadowy, silent killer. Am I a silent witness ― or am I a witness at all?

The Samaritan man stopped to help his Jewish neighbor in distress. Racial barriers were no contest for his sweeping heart of mercy. He disinfected and bandaged the man’s wounds, brought him to an inn, footed the bill, and took care of him. He spared no expense, willing to give of his time and his resources so a stranger’s life could be restored.

Our day-to-day encounters with those who are hurting call for measures far less extreme, and yet we often fail to be the hands and feet of Christ. We underestimate the impact a random act of kindness, heartfelt greeting or friendly smile may have on someone’s day.

The parable of the Good Samaritan reveals the heart of Christ for those who are wounded, lost and dying. I must ask: What does it reveal about mine? Do I choose to sidestep death, or do I step into the gap to restore the life of another?

The Samaritan chose wisely. The Master’s words exhort us to “Go and do the same.”

Blessings,

Starr

When God Calls: Close Encounter

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“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Hebrews 11:8, NIV

When I was seventeen God whispered my name, and I gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ. As a young person I didn’t find it hard to walk the aisle of that small country church and trust God with my eternity, so why as an adult is it sometimes difficult to trust Him with my days?

This week we’ll look at Abraham’s initial encounter with God, examine God’s call in his life, and discover some truths that we can apply to the Lord’s call in our own lives—even in the everyday.

 

Close Encounter

“The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.” 

Acts 7:2, NIV

UFOIn the 1977 science fiction movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Roy Neary, an Indiana electrical lineman, is called out to investigate a power outage. In a blanket of darkness, his truck stalls, and a bright light lands on top of it. From this point in the story, Roy’s ordinary life is radically changed. He refuses to listen to others as they try to explain away his bizarre encounter, and he sets out in pursuit of the truth about UFOs. In his quest, he forfeits his family and life as he knows it.

Comparing Abram’s encounter with God to a fictional tale of a man’s encounter with aliens may seem a bit extreme, but please don’t miss my point: any time we encounter the God of glory, we are forever changed. Roy Neary was prepared to give up everything in his search for truth. Are we?

Abram was.

Because God chose Abram as the father of our faith, one might assume he had an extraordinary relationship with God. Although the facts of Abram’s life before his close encounter with God are sketchy, Scripture reveals that he was a Chaldean living in Ur, a city in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). Due to its location at the mouth of the Euphrates River, Ur was a self-sufficient trade city, rich in the arts, advanced in science and technology, and the area’s political and religious capital.

AbrahamThe Hebrew verb that forms the base of the word Ur means to be light, to shine. Known as the “Moon City,” the progressive city of Ur did stand out in this wilderness area; however, it was a dark place—a pagan place. Many gods were worshipped in Ur, mainly the moon god, Sin, and Ur was known for the manufacture of idols. Historical accounts suggest that Abram’s father, Terah, was an idol maker. Whether that is true or not, Joshua 24:2 states that Terah and Abram’s relatives worshipped other gods.

Due to the pagan culture that surrounded Abram, we can assume he was not seeking God. However, God was seeking him. In the midst of Abram’s ordinary day, God showed up in all of his glory and interrupted Abram’s usual routine.

Wouldn’t you love to have heard the conversation in Terah’s household that evening? Sometimes our families can be the greatest hindrance to our decisions to follow God’s call for our lives. Even Jesus’s brothers doubted His summons to be the Savior of the world. When facing the opposition of those we love most, we’ll need more than courage to follow through—we’ll need the faith of Abram, who left all that he knew for an unknown land based on the word of his unproven God.

Remember, Abram’s faith walk began with a single step. Yours will too.

Step out.

Your traveling companion,

Starr