Sometimes you have to get 230 feet in the air to see what’s right in front of you.
At the top of the Ferris wheel at the NC State Fair, with my daughters beside me, I got a different view. Did you know from the top you can see as far as 14 miles?! On the ground, you’re navigating crowds and figuring out where to go next. Up there, you can see how everything connects.
It made me think about what we might notice if we could get that kind of view of our church. Here are three things I see.
1. Everyone’s contributions add up.
We have people who set up chairs every week, a small group that delivers diapers to caregivers, and teams that encourage teachers and welcome new people, and more! We each experience part of that work, but a higher viewpoint helps us see how much care this community offers.
Paul describes the church as one body with many members (1 Corinthians 12). We need each other, and our contributions belong to something bigger than any of us can do alone.
2. There are neighbors we haven’t met yet.
In John 4, Jesus tells his disciples to look around at the fields ready for harvest. He’s just spoken with a Samaritan woman, and her neighbors are coming to meet him. The disciples are being invited to recognize possibilities right in front of them.
We have that same invitation to look beyond our familiar circles and build relationships with people whose stories we haven’t heard yet. Taking a wider view can help us recognize where to begin.
3. God is growing something we can’t fully see yet.
Jesus compares God’s kingdom to a mustard seed that grows into a tree where birds find shelter (Matthew 13). Small beginnings can become places of belonging.
When we help caregivers provide for their children or share a meal with neighbors, we get to participate in that growth. Over time, those relationships become places where people know they are loved and have someone to turn to.
It can be hard to recognize that growth when we’re focused on what needs to happen next. The holidays that are about to start make that easy to see. Still, sometimes we need to step back long enough to see what’s taking root.
When you take a step back, what do you see growing in your life?
From the heart,
Rev. Steph Margeson
