I loved my job at our local department store. After decades of complex work as a teacher, I found the simple tasks of sorting and stocking freight with things people needed downright fun. But the best part of it was the people.
Jesus warned us that life is tough; Scripture repeatedly confirms that reality. So many people I encountered day after day were hurting in heart, mind, and body—in their souls. My favorite times were when a coworker or a customer shared their brokenness, and I could offer to pray for them. They never turned me down and often wept when we finished.
People need to know they are not alone. God is at the door of their hearts, ready to answer their distress. And the world is full of His children who share that calling.
It wasn’t like that for Noah. No one in his world shared his values or delight in God. No one wanted Noah’s prayers, words of faith, comfort, or exhortation. However, Noah kept his heart close to God in that vile era. He treasured God’s counsel and found favor with God.
Unlike Noah, I am surrounded by people of faith who give substance to God’s deep love. I am so grateful for them. They pray with me, share my joys and sorrows, help me when I’m in trouble, and offer opportunities for me to serve them. Most importantly, they are Christ’s ambassadors in my life, and their love connects me repeatedly to God’s love. I live in a nation that allows me to pursue the Lord. Many times, people who do not share my faith have shared their burdens with me and allowed me to pray for them.
What a privilege to belong to the family of faith. Let’s put away our hurts and disappointments and celebrate our family of God by serving them faithfully. They are God’s gift to us.
Kim Robinson is a former schoolteacher who has taught in rural and central Oregon, Alaska, and with Mercy Ships in Africa. She currently lives in Salem, Oregon, where she is delighted to serve the Lord as a mom, grandma, writer, copy editor, and encourager of others.