"Obvious"
“Obvious”
February 25, 2014
“Creativity is
just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something,
they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw
something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were
able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things.”
--Steve Jobs
Patsy Riley, a member of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville,
Kentucky, will hold a ministry event for women beginning today. A team of women at her church have a suite of
rooms at the local Economy Inn and are offering spas to pamper the women living
at the Inn. While being pampered with
facials, manicures and pedicures, they will also have the good news of Jesus
Christ shared with them. The residents
of the Economy Inn are used to seeing Patsy around their place. Her ministry to them includes throwing parties
at Christmas and Easter. In addition,
she can be found in the lobby of the inn every Thursday as she makes herself
available to pray with the residents.
The Economy Inn has been the personal ministry of Patsy and Jack Riley
for three years. The ministry began with
egg on Patsy’s face.
Patsy began her ministry at the Economy Inn when she
threw a block party for the neighborhood.
The egg on her face was as she looked over at the inn and saw the
residents of the rundown inn looking over their balconies at the block party. Patsy realized she had failed to invite the
residents. Most of us would think she
had a good excuse for the faux pas. After
all, hotels and motels do not have long-term residents; they exist for
travelers – temporary visitors to town.
That’s mostly true for mainstream hotels and motels, but when the hotel
or motel has seen better days, as has the neighborhood it is located in, then
new sources of revenue are sought out.
The Economy Inn on Bardstown Road had become just such a place. Long-term residents were becoming the norm
for the inn. People who could not rent a
traditional house or apartment did find the Economy Inn’s cheap long-term rates
a viable option.
How many times had Patsy Riley driven past the Economy
Inn and missed the opportunity to fulfill God’s mission? The answer is unknown. She could beat herself up for the failures,
or she could do something to answer the call.
She was already one to think outside the box. After all, she was throwing block parties as
an outreach event. Most, who decide to
start serving in church, serve IN church.
The countless tasks necessary to put on church services afford plenty of
opportunities to answer Christ’s call for His followers to serve, rather than
be served. Plus, serving while at church
service is convenient and fits into most schedules.
Patsy and Jack went further and fulfilled Christ’s
command to make more disciples and to make better disciples. They used innovative ways to reach out to
people like throwing a neighborhood block party. But God used the obvious to stretch Patsy
even more in her pursuit to serve Christ.
God used the obvious. A rundown,
faded building held a ministry opportunity.
It was as plain as the nose on her face, but somehow she had missed it.
There are ministry opportunities all around every one of
us every day. Most are obvious. But do we see them? Do we rule them out like the disciples did
when Jesus stopped at a well and talked to a woman everyone had overlooked? What are the ministry opportunities around
you? Step outside your comfort zone and
ask God to open your eyes to the obvious.
Ask for ways to be innovative and make not only more disciples for
Christ, but better disciples.
“Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’?
I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
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