many talk and some do

The 'Outflow' emphasis of our Life Groups at Riverside is a very challenging concept. Not challenging as in really hard to do... just challenging in the definitive sense of the word... it 'challenges' me... takes me out of my comfort zone...

I am not used to just helping people. I am not accustomed to letting God's blessings 'flow' through me.... and I suspect many of us are 'challenged' by the idea of simply finding someone who needs Christ's love and helping them...

However, every day one of my brothers of sisters walks up to me or calls me to tell me what blessings they have shared with others...

Last night, one of my sisters came up to me at the fair and told me her most recent 'outflow' story...

Seems she was driving by Hardee's - minding her own business! - when she noticed a lady walking along the street with a bag in one hand and a guitar case in the other... so she stopped and simply offered to give the lady a ride to wherever she was walking... when she asked where that 'wherever' might be, the lady asked "well, how far are you going?"

Turns out she needed a ride to Panther Bay pavilion... so the sister loaded her up in the car and drove her to the lake... on the ride out in became obvious the lady was a bit confused - maybe a little paranoid... so when she made sure that was where the lady needed to go, your sister gave her some coins for the payphone and dropped her off...

There is no dramatic ending to this story... mainly because this story is probably not over yet. And that's the beauty of 'fountain' living: God may use your kindness to bless someone and you may not see the 'end of the story'... this lady may 'pay it forward' to another stranger tomorrow! Or, she may never pass along the blessing given to her...

But I bet she never forgets the kindness extended to her by someone in the name of Jesus. And maybe your sister's kindness did nothing more than ease this lady's pain or alleviate her demons for a few minutes... or, maybe this act of kindness simply lightened her load for a few miles...

Whatever the case, God was glorified... Jesus was lifted up... all because someone cared enough to share a blessing with another someone.

... and that's outflow...