Sin and BELLS
Well, I want to confess my recent sin…
For the last while I’ve made a conscious effort to commit myself to BELLS, a missional concept I stole from Michael Frost of The Shaping of Things to Come fame. The acroctic of BELLS is as follows:
BLESSING: Who have you blessed this week through words or actions and what learning, encouragement or concerns were raised by it?
EATING: With whom have you eaten this week and what learning, encouragement or concerns were raised by it?
LISTENING: Have you heard or sensed any promptings from God this week?
LEARNING: What passages of Scripture have encouraged you or what other resources have enriched your growth as a Christian this week?
SENTNESS: In what ways have you sensed yourself carrying on the work of God in your daily life this week?
So, the other morning I had rushed to Farmer’s Barber Shop just over the bay from Lillian, AL. I was in a great hurry because I was going to get a haircut (almost always a traumatic experience since moving back to the US, but that’s another story…), rush back home, shower and head to the Globe office. Upon arrival, there was an older guy in the single chair of Rick Farmer’s barber shop, so I sat down and began to read the paper. When I heard the older guy stir out of the chair and his wife rise to go, I arose myself headed for the barber chair. As I did, another old guy (Lillian is filled with old guys!) came in the front door shuffling with a cane looking at the exiting guy and the empty chair. It was obvious (upon reflection) that walking, even with a cane was a great effort.
I paid him no real attention, but made my way to the chair to get my haircut. And that’s when it dawned on me: you could have really blessed that guy, if you’d have let him go ahead of you. If you’d have let him take your place, it could have been one of your blessings of the day!
On my way home, I cried out to God: “Forgive me! This is what I’m all about - hearing your voice and blessing other! And here I am, I’ve blown it! Again! Too busy, too much in a hurry, too fast and furious to see a need right in front of me.!”
I’ll chat more about BELLS at another time… I want this to become the paradigm of living for me and mine in 2008… Maybe we can do d better job…
