Week 17: Day 3

Intro: Hello and welcome to Orbit, a short reflection to help you put God at the centre of your life from the team behind Satellites - I'm Lucy Rae. Each weekday we share a little bit of the Bible with you, give you a chance to pray and think about it, and provide you with one practical way to put it into practice today.

Bible: Today's reading comes from Colossians 4:5.

Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

Thoughts: Yesterday we talked about vertical speech - speaking to God in prayer and conversation. Today and tomorrow we are going to look at horizontal conversation - how we talk to those around us and how we share the good news of Jesus with them.

We have so many things that help us “save time” - cars, alarm clocks, power naps, cheats on Call of Duty or Sims. But there doesn’t seem to be a quickfire time saver to relationships and making the most of the opportunities we have with others.

We don’t read of the interactions Jesus had with people as quick or hurried or racing through. He walked with love, joy and peace. All aspects that can’t be sped up.

This verse reminds me of John 4 and the interaction that Jesus has with the woman at the well. A woman who would have been very much an outsider - she even goes to the well in the middle of the day to avoid interaction with others because she feels so ostracized. Even when the disciples, the people who spent every day with Jesus, get back they’re surprised that He is with her. And yet through his interaction - his care, his peace. This same woman who was once so segregated encounters Jesus and her life was transformed. Not just her life was transformed but the lives of so many others. John 4.39 says “many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony - and then v41 because of his words many more became believers.

Jesus slowed down and was present with her.

What would your day look like today if you slowed down and were present to everyone you came into contact with.

There’s a phrase “every contact leaves a trace” which I think is actually a police thing BUT let’s flip that round to being about Jesus. With him every contact leaves a trace. If we follow him, everyone we come into contact with should leave a trace of him.

We are going to spend a moment in silence and prayer.

Silence: There's now just a few moments of silence for you to pray, reflect on these ideas, or simply sit and be still.

Action: Is there someone you could befriend this week - sit with the at lunch, invite to an after school club or have a longer conversation with?

Outro: That's it for today's Orbit. Thanks so much for joining us - we'll be back with another reflection tomorrow.