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The five minute Friday word prompt just posted at Kate’s blog.   This week we are working with the word access.  Writing for five minutes with no editing…  🙂 GAH… I have to admit, sometimes I do go back and edit you know!  Public access is what I started thinking about so let’s see how this goes. 

Public access means different things to people, like entrance into museums, shopping malls, and the like.  To others it means information at your fingertips, or the ability to video and more.  What does it mean to those who follow Christ? 

Public Access

The public has the right to know
as so is able to ask
to see documents and to
look into things that sometimes
you’d rather they didn’t.
But the lack of privacy sometimes
is forgotten in this day and age
of “but the people have the right to know”.

One needs to be mindful when
out in public that sometimes
people think that since you are out
in public they can film you as they
wish, even if you’d rather they didn’t,
but being in the public’s eye,
whether famous or not,
sometimes means others take liberties
that they wouldn’t want taken of themselves.
And they fail to see the relevance of that.

But something we need to remember
in this day and age of public
access, and it’s incumbent lack of privacy,
is that it provides windows of opportunity
to share with others
the fact that we have faith in
a God who is FAR bigger than
anything the world presents to us.

It makes us ask the question,
how does the world see
the things we say and do,
and does it give them a
glimpse of the glory of God?
What would a snapshot or a
video of moments in your days
reveal about your relationship
with the creator of the universe?

God’s word to us

I have to admit, I don’t always do the best in the moment-to-moment aspects of my life.  I do keep trying, but so often, I just see my failure you know?   And yet God continually calls to us… give him glory in all that we do.  Let people see our faith in action! 

Colossians 3:12-17

¹² Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The Five Minute Friday word prompt this week is Ignore.   This may be a good word for me to ponder this week since I am learning to ignore some of the stuff a co-worker does. And as I think on this word I’ve realized there is a lot in life that I’ve learned to ignore.   Let’s see how this poetic endeavor goes today shall we? 

Learning To Ignore

Can’t say it’s easy
Learning to ignore
the silly things of others
that can annoy a body so.
The boss chooses to pay
me to do a job again,
that if only done correctly,
would save time and pay again.
Still a work in progress.

Can’t say it’s easy
learning to ignore,
When words I’d rather
not hear are used frequently
in conversations surrounding me
Needing to remember to
focus on the people first
not the language they use.
Coming easier all the time.

Can’t say it’s easy
walking down a street
learning to ignore
the rudeness that sometimes greets.
People not sharing the sidewalk
or blowing snow in the face
cause they don’t take the time
to look so as not to disgrace.
A Canadian sorry, works charmingly well! 🙂

Can’t say it’s easy
learning to ignore
“can you say a prayer” while
you are down there
from people often mocking,
instead choosing to turn
it into a cheerful
“yes I can, what
would you have God know?”
This comes more easily now.

Just because
it doesn’t always come
easily to choose to ignore,
I’m learning the benefit
of a closed mouth, and
an open heart. Bonds are
more easily built that way
I’m finding out well.

Three weeks ago “can you say a prayer for me while you are down there” (sitting on the floor putting groceries away) from a voice I know will mock the Lord.  The cheerful response of “sure I can, what would you like to say?” Got a stunned moment of silence and then “my daughter’s not well”.   And so a very brief conversation turned, I hope, a mocker into a questioner, and that is always a good thing no?

I do find it hard sometimes to mind my tongue, but I’m learning and growing, and hopefully, through my mindfulness and cheeriness people will see God at work.   Seeing God at work, who knows?  Might make more people willing to question the reality of God and turn hearts to him. 

The Lord would Speak

Colossians 3:23-24

 ²³ Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

1 Peter 4:7-10

⁷ The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.