My own little bubble.

I was walking through my church foyer a couple of weeks ago and walked by someone I knew. Just as I passed her, I heard her friendly voice jokingly say to me "I think we can say hi to each other in real life since we are friends on Facebook". I laughed and we talked for a little while and moved on into the sanctuary. 

But the thing is, her words stuck with me.

And while I know she meant nothing bad by it, she was absolutely right.

This is how I see it. I'm in the middle of my own little bubble. And in my little bubble, closest to me is my family. And then my closest friends. And then my other friends and so on and so on, like ever growing circles surrounding me. The circles continue outward to the end of my bubble.

I take great care of my bubble. If there's a problem in my bubble, I'm there. I'm praying for them, feeding them, whatever needs done....I'm your girl.

But what about the rest of the world? OK, not necessarily "the whole World", but what about my neighbor or my co-workers or the new homeschooler at co-op? What about the people that I walk by on Sunday mornings or Wednesday nights? Sure, I take the time to say "Hi" (as I keep on walking), but am I reaching out to them? Is anyone?

Am I doing all I can to make people feel welcome and loved in my church? In my work? In my life?

Not just in my bubble?

I think about all the people who have entered and left our churches thinking that the church doesn't even care. I think about the people who come week after week, who sit in pews beside us, thinking that the church doesn't care.

Friends, the church is not pastoral staff or programs or women's ministries. The church is you and I. It's each of us getting outside our bubble and reaching out to others. It's a kind word, a hot meal, a shoulder to cry on, a heartfelt prayer. It's seeing a need and doing our best to meet it.

Yes, it is harder than pressing "Like" under a post.

But just imagine the impact if each of us would take the time to reach out to just one person outside our bubble each week.

I honestly can't even imagine what that would look like, but I'd love to see it.

So can I ask you to join me in reaching out to just one person this week? Find your prayer needs list and pick someone. Anyone outside your bubble. Send them a card, give them a call, ask them if there's anything you can do to help them or if you can pray for them.

Just let them know that someone cares.


Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:12-15