One of my kids likes to bring home ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs from hotels.
When his room is getting messy – and it has been suggested that maybe it’s time to clean his room – he likes to put the sign over his door. It’s his way of saying to the rest of us don’t enter the mess!
It’s one thing to put a do not disturb sign on our door, but I’m mindful that without even recognising it, this can also become my life posture. We can do life wearing our own personal do not disturb sign!
In our busy and noisy world, beckoned daily by consumerism and materialism, and focused on our to-do lists, family needs and personal circumstances we can so quickly become closed to what God’s Spirit may want to do in our lives. We can become so caught up in our busy schedules and personal agendas that there is no space for God’s Spirit to surprise and disturb us.
I’ve been speaking in churches recently from the very familiar Good Samaritan story in Luke’s Gospel. I’ve been reminded afresh that in this powerful story the one who models God’s compassionate heart, the one who reflects the just ways of Jesus, is the Samaritan who is willing be disturbed.
It’s the most unlikely player in the story who makes himself available to come to the rescue of the beaten Jewish man in the ditch. As Jesus tells the story, the two who we expect will stop – the religious leaders – don’t! For whatever reason, they are unwilling to be disturbed.
Maybe fear, maybe be busyness, maybe apathy – whatever their motivation they make themselves unavailable to share in this redemptive moment.
As I travel around the globe and Australia, and meet with our team members, ministry partners and local followers of Jesus in Baptist churches, I’m reminded that availability is vital to participation in God’s mission.
So much ‘good mission’ happens when ordinary people live as good neighbours. They are available. They are ready to be disturbed. Their hearts are aligned with God’s compassionate heart.
They are like the Samaritan man on the road to Jericho. They are ready to enter the brokenness of others and play their part as co-menders in God’s restorative vision for the world.
This month we have celebrated Luke and Belle’s tenth anniversary of serving with Baptist Mission Australia in Thailand. It has been a privilege to spend time with Luke and Belle on a few trips to Chiang Mai. They are passionate followers of Jesus – and yet they are also ordinary people! At the heart of their faith story is a willingness to respond to God’s call – be available, a readiness to be surprised by God as they come alongside Thai people with the hope of Jesus.
This happens in formal ministry settings, but also in their neighbourhood. It happens as they share the story of Jesus with people searching for meaning, as well as when they get their hands dirty supporting neighbours coming to terms with flood damage. It’s about living as good neighbours!
God is at work in local communities across the world. His heart breaks for the pain of our world. And He graciously invites us all to join Him in ‘the ditches’ – as the Samaritan man did. Across the street, and across the world, God’s Spirit is at work through ordinary people who share one thing in common – availability!
Are we ready to be disturbed? Are we ready to be surprised? Are our eyes and ears open – amid all the busyness and noise? Are we ready to step out of our comfort zone and see what God can do as we come alongside others in the ditches of life?
