I love the out doors, especially early in the morning or late in the afternoon. (And you’d know why I said those times of the day if you’ve ever lived in south Georgia for even one summer!)
Earlier this spring, Jodi and I decided to put in some new flowers and plants in to help make our backyard more colorful. Off to Lowe's Home and Garden Center we went. Knowing how tight our finances were, we decided to get some things now and then the rest after our next payday.
DUDE! …flowers and plants are EXPENSIVE!
All I wanted was some nice flowers to plant, some colorful hanging baskets, and a few other plants to brighten up the place WITHOUT having to mortgage two of my children, and sell one of my kidneys.
So we picked up a FEW things, and headed home. After our “STICKER SHOCK” we decided it might take several months to do what we wanted in the back yard.
Later that week, though, we came across a fresh seafood business in town that had expanded their business to include, get this, local grown plants and flowers. That’s right; fresh seafood for your grill and fresh flowers and plants for your backyard! (Crazy combinations of product lines seem to do well here in Georgia.)
And get this, the plants were twice as large and more healthy than the plants we had just bought at Lowe's! Oh, and the nail in the coffin… about 35% cheaper. Oh, yeah, we have found our new place to buy ANY plants and flowers from now on! Larger, healthier plants, at two-thirds of the cost!
EVERYBODY wants to save money, right! EVERYBODY wants to get more for what money they do spend RIGHT!
And you know what, I have been sharing this story to anyone who I meet who is about to do some backyard beautification. I mean when you find the answer to a problem or dilemma (over priced, unhealthy plants) that others are looking for too, don’t you want to “help” them out and give them the “inside scoop” on how they can save to?
In the stories I mentioned earlier this week, Andrew, Phillip, and the woman at the well were all looking for something.
Andrew was looking for the Messiah (even following John the Baptist around to learn more about the Messiah that was coming). Phillip was looking for the Messiah written about by Moses and the prophets. The woman was looking for where the right place to worship was- a place where all people could worship in spirit and truth.
In other words, they were looking for what the Messiah, the Christ, represented to each of them! Acceptance, Hope, Forgiveness, Love, Purpose, Freedom, answers to hard questions, and many other things...
Whatever they were looking for, they felt they had FOUND in Jesus, that Jesus was the answer to what they were looking for. And they knew others who were looking for the same thing… so off they go to share with others this great find, this answer to what they had been searching for.
Because found people find people.
Imagine finding larger, healthier, and inexpensive plants for sale at a Fresh Seafood Market??? But I did. I found the answer to what I was looking for in my quest for flowers.
Think about your church. No mater the shape, size, or music style, can people meet Jesus there? I hope so, because I'm SURE He's the answer to what people are looking for! How much greater is the world's need for a Savior than flowers? Isn't that something worth telling others about?!? Isn't that something worth inviting people too?
No comments:
Post a Comment