People of peace

I have recently come across some excellent terminology which has helped me to understand how I can better identify the people God has placed in my sphere of influence. If you're anything like me and you have tried to reach out and share Jesus with someone, it can be met in a variety of ways. Sometimes they are completely open, but other times its not so positive. This is pretty normal.

In my last post I discussed who the people are in our 'backyard'. But while our relationship or association with a particular person is ONE significant factor which influences their receptivity, there is another thought worth considering - is that person a person of peace?

A person of peace is simply someone who likes you. Someone who has invited you into their world without reservations. They know who you are and they have no problem with it. They like you and they are open to what you have to say.

I think sometimes we overthink how we might come across to people if we begin sharing some of ourself and our faith with others. Let's face it, we live in a very private world these days and people DO tend to keep to themselves. The difference for us however is that we have a life and story that is worth sharing.........in fact Jesus commanded us to go out and share it in the Great Commission. The Good News is certainly not something to keep to ourselves!

So, for me, the penny dropped the other day that I have people of peace in my neighbourhood, right on my doorstep, right in my backyard! I started to think about my neighbours. They all seem to like me. They know I work at a church. Our kids hang out together. I barrack for the same footy team. God's setting me up for success here.

So let me tell you about my back neighbour.......literally in my backyard. Our boys chat to each other over the fence and swap toys and occasionally I have a chat with the guy (we'll call him Jack). Over the last few years, we've shared tools, donated timber and talked about stuff. But the other day he invited us over for a couple of drinks on a Friday night. My wife and I discussed the implications for our kids being in bed at that time and decided....yeah, lets do it! So we put a baby monitor next to our baby's room, said goodnight to our other two boys and here's the fun part.......we put ladders on either side of our back fence and climbed over the fence and joined them! Nice entrance. We spent a couple of hours getting to know Jack and his wife, interrupted by the occasional murmur from our 10 month old, and we had a great time........in their home.

As it alludes to in Luke 10:5, a 'person of peace' is someone who invites you into their home. Once you've been invited into someone's home you can bless that family with the very presence of God that you carry as a Christian. I believe that as we have the power and love of Jesus within us that we change atmospheres wherever we go as we are aware of what the Holy Spirit is doing. You can just let it flow out. People pick up on the fact that there is something different and it makes them feel good.

We've actually got nothing to lose, cos as it reminds us in verse 6 of Luke 10, "If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you".

So who are the people of peace that God has placed in your neighbourhood or sphere of influence?
Invite them into your home. Or better still, maybe God will set you up and they will invite you into their home.

Take a risk and get to know the people around you at another level.