Let your light shine

This morning I was out with a friend.As she was dropping me off at home.We noticed something on the grass. At a second glance, or stare is more like it,I realized that it was one of the stray cats that lives on our property.Stuck on its head was a plastic jar of peanut butter,Apparently it was hungry and was rummaging through the recycling bucket.We were laughing so hard watching the poor thing,It was walking slowly with its head bobbing side to side.Quite calmly I might add,even though it had its head stuck in a jar.I walked over to it figuring I was going to be attacked by a half crazed feral cat,but I got the jar off with one pull and away the cat ran.

Walking in the house laughing to myself I thought how would i like to walk around with a jar stuck on my head.You wouldn't be able to see well.It would be sort of hazy looking,It would limit where you go,How would you sleep?I think the air would be limited in there.You wouldn't be able to eat,and no one would hear you if you spoke,or meowed.Would we be so calm if a jar was stuck on our head? I can bet that I would not be calm at all.What if I was the only one around and the jar had to stay put? I would be running around trying everything in my power to pull the thing off.Trying to pry it off with a tree limb or something.

It makes me think of many Christians.We are happy in our little bubble.Everyone ,well almost everyone at church is happy and cheerful.If our children go to Christian school, all is well in the world,praise the Lord,our kids gets to pray in school,the nurse is allowed to hug them when they are not feeling well.We are in a well protected bubble.We deal with our own problems.We have enough of our own thank you very much.

But at times we are walking around with a jar stuck on our heads.We just see what is in front of us.We don't look to the left or the right.There are people suffering in our neighborhoods,at work,everywhere.But some of us,choose to look the other way,and let someone else help out.Let other people be the ones to ask,what can I do for you? Maybe someone needs prayer,but we don't want to bother them.or offend which is worse,so we let them be.We let them continue to suffer alone, someone else will help, well hopefully someone will.Oh well, not my problem,right?.All because we choose to keep the jar where it is.The one that after a while doesn't bother us, we are like the cat,calmly walking around with something stuck on its head.

We would rather not offend or leave our comfort zone,than step out and help.We are comfortable and we choose to leave the jar in place.Where if we wanted to, we could remove it with a quick pull. We would be able to see better. We would breathe much easier and we would find life is much better without it.But we have grown accustom to the limited vision, the small amount of air.Why the jar fits quite nicely as though it has become a part of us now.Why remove it? We are ok with it on.We might have to see things we don't want to,or do things we are not able to do with the jar in place.

Jesus wants us to reach out to others.Look at who He spent most of his time with,the tax collectors ,the lepers,the unwanted.He didn't walk by and pretend they weren't there.He sat next to them and ministered to their needs.No matter how big or how small they were.He was right there sitting in the dirt with the so called unwanted of society.His life was full each day of blessings.He was filled with Joy as he helped the less fortunate.Never once did he turn his head as He walked by them.There never was and never will be anyone that He overlooks.So today if you find your head is stuck in that jar,give a quick tug,don't be like the cat,calmly walking around while it is slowly suffocating and doesn't even know it.

matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Mark 9:41 If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the messiah,I assure you,that person will be rewarded.

Blessings
Dee