Our thoughts/reflections:

This reflection was, for us, a reminder that our family is our first marketplace. Our mission to our family involves going into each other’s hearts.

There is a vulnerability when we go in to the marketplace of people’s hearts. We don’t know the reaction we will get and we can tend to shy away from going there. In our situation, we represent the church here; the people of Telegraph Creek know that we represent the church, and so there is a place here where we already, in a way, have our foot in the door. We are given opportunities, that others might not receive, to go into this ‘marketplace’ and bring Christ’s listening heart and comforting words. In regards to the reaction though, especially when we are involved in the secular ‘marketplace’, we can shy away out of fear that we may be judged or we may think, “Who am I to go into the ‘marketplace’ of that person?” But this reflection sheds a huge light on this, our interaction with others, in the line: ‘Even more deeply: the loving presence of Christ within us gives birth to their awareness of Christ within them.’ So it is that we are simply, or not so simply, called to be Christ to others, to bring Him to others, and help them to realize that there is a part of them that belongs to Him, a part that longs for true happiness, and deeper meaning, even though they may not realize it!