PIE

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech ALWAYS be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer EACH one. (Colossians 4:2-6)

Paul here is in prison in Rome yet still is seeking opportunities to share the Gospel, not wanting to miss out on the chance to share but also not wanting anyone to miss the opportunity to "hear". Many times we look for the "perfect" opportunity and miss out on the everyday chance to share. I can think of many times that I blew it. Even the bible speaks of times when people did not "get it". The Rich Young Ruler went away sad . . . . Ten lepers were healed by Christ yet only one was thankful . . . Thousands were miraculously fed yet we do not hear of many following afterwards, in fact many walked away, wanting "signs" and miracles over Jesus. When the disciples were frustrated because they could not heal the epileptic boy, (Matthew 17)Jesus reminded them that PRAYER and FASTING is so very important when doing the work of God! In sports, missed opportunities are often mentioned in the post game analysis: -Runners Left on Base -Dropped Passes or -Missed Free Throws. As we analyze a close to another school year, what missed opportunities can we recall and how could we have done better? Was it dealing with a student frustrated over a grade; an athlete downcast because of a poor performance; perhaps a student had a bad morning at home and brought the attitude to school . . . What did we do well? How could we do better? How could we "love more like Christ"? Paul reminds us to be graceful and "seasoned with salt" in our speech and actions. Though salt can at times sting a bit, it adds flavor and preserves. Remember, the love of Christ is not always easily accepted but needed! May I suggest a food reference to help us. . . since we all like to eat! Perhaps we can even put a picture of a nice tasteful pie on our computer of phone . . . P.I.E.????? -Be PRAYERFUL and ask the Lord to make us aware of opportunities to share His love. -BE INTENTIONAL in our planning and observations to "be" Christ to others. It won't always be easy! -Be EXPECTANT that God will supply the opportunity. In closing, I want to thank you all for a great year and for all I have learned from many of you . . . in conversation but also in observation. We have a unique bond here at RBS. Let's cherish that and seize the opportunities that God is providing!