Our dining room has a big floor to ceiling window making up one wall. We sit at the table for all our meals and see people walking, scooting, cycling and even skateboarding past. Zoe’s highchair faces the window and every time someone goes past she waves – sometimes it’s a bit delayed but the wave is there!
Matt often says he feels like we live in a goldfish bowl. He can be tempted to think we have little or no privacy and we are on display. He isn’t entirely wrong. People can see in. They can sometimes hear our conversation often because I have the window perpetually open. They do get a glimpse of our lives and if they stopped and watched I think I would be tempted to agree with Matt and close the net curtains!
When I think of our dining room window I like to think of it more as a lighthouse. We often listen to the Bible at breakfast, so people walking past will hear snippets of the psalms or our readings for that day. We sing songs with Zoe about the Bible and God and how much he loves her and what Jesus has done for us all. We often have people round our table. In fact I think we eat with others more than we eat by ourselves sometimes! Most importantly we always, always eat at the table. We have a fairly similar routine most days so we tend to see the same people at the same time. Some people look in and some walk straight past, occasionally we will have half a conversation through the window. One lady saw us eating together, stopped in her tracks, waved at Zoe and said, ‘That’s how it’s done!!’.
I like to think of us shining God’s light out through out dining room window, not just onto the path outside our window, but into the lives of those who we engage with. Because we sit and eat together, and are happy to smile and wave at those passing by, we are able to have more in depth conversations when we see those people out and about at other times.
Being on mission with God doesn’t necessarily mean going to Timbuktu and living in a mud hut (but if that’s what your called to don’t let me stop you!!). Being on mission with God means living your every day life aware that you are sent by him. Yes, that means when you are in your workplace, when you’re out shopping, at school/university/seminary. But it also means at home, as you eat together, live together and grow together. Who could you share life with in a way that shines God’s glory into their lives today?
Rachel and Matt are Missioners in the UK. Together they direct the GB core team and are currently raising funds in order to give all their time to Inspire. With their daughter, Zoe, they are living in Chesterfield, England and learning as they go what it means to be a full time missioner! They would love to hear from you. Perhaps you could support them in prayer, financially or in other ways.
