Retirement has had a strange effect on me. As pastor of Park church, my days were filled with people, meetings, and study. Everything I did ultimately had to do with people. Meetings dealt with people issues. Sermons were prepared for people. Counseling obviously is a people thing. Even my private times with God included other people who populated my prayers.
This has all changed. I can go through most of a day seeing no other person but Linda. Today, with the exception of a phone call and a quick visit by my sister in law who dropped off some pumpkin cookies she had baked, I saw no one until this evening's Bible study. The entire day was spent working with things, installing window trim in the bathroom, varnishing baseboard, and cleaning up in preparation for some previously unexpected guests who are slated to arrive sometime before midnight.
So tonight at our men's Bible study, I was challenged by our pastor to pay attention to the people in my life. He reminded us that Christ could return at any moment; what will I say to him if I haven't even bothered to try to introduce him to those whose homes I pass almost every time I leave my house. Pastor Joe is an exuberant, outgoing guy. I am not. But Jesus didn't command only the extroverts to take the Gospel to the world. My being an introvert doesn't let me off the hook. I may do it a bit differently, but do it I must, if I am to be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of his earthly ministry he told Peter and John to follow him and he would make them "fishers of men." The implication is pretty obvious. If I'm not fishing, I'm not following. It is a hard word for me, but I am thankful my pastor pulls no punches in challenging me to faithful Christian discipleship. It's late now, but it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to check over my equipment. Tomorrow is a new day, and it looks like the fishing might be good.
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