We have lived in our home for almost eight years. We live in a very established neighborhood and do not get out much to be with our neighbors. A couple of years ago, my neighbor across the street lost her husband in an accident. I took a plate of fruit over and introduced myself to her. She is an elderly lady and with her kids in other cities, she was now alone. She invited me to play cards with her and other neighborhood ladies and now we do so weekly. I love her, she is a dear friend.
I met several other neighborhood ladies and we enjoy playing together. It has taken time to establish a relationship and get some of the ladies to feel comfortable with me. Several weeks ago, I was walking to the end of the street to meet one of them for lunch. I was wearing slacks, a blazer and some nice boots. My hair was lose. One of the other neighborhood ladies pulled into her driveway. She saw me walking down the street. She parked in her driveway, got out of her vehicle and was making her way up her walk when I waved and yelled "Good Morning-how are you?" Although she made brief eye contact, she did not respond and I thought "Well, that was rather rude."
That evening at cards, my friend and this neighbor and I were all sitting at the same table when she said "Did you see that woman walking our street earlier today?" We all looked at each other and asked "What woman?" "The woman with the long hair-she tried to talk to me but I just ignored her and walked inside my house." Laughter erupted when I said "That was me!" In her embarassment she meekly said "Oh-I didn't recognize you."
That made me think. When Christ seeks me out, will he recognize me? Will He find the gentle, patient, kind, joyful, peaceful, self controlled, faithful, loving, full of goodness girl He is expecting or will He say "Sorry Dee, I did not recognize you.
He was in the world and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was his own but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:10-12
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