Above the din …

During my childhood and pre-teen years, my father moved my family more than 20 times. That’s a lot of new schools to start!

Being the “new kid” in yet another school can be an awkward experience. You don’t know anyone, you don’t yet “belong,” you don’t yet have any friends to hang out with. The one thing you’re looking for is a chance to connect with someone.

But with so many kids who already have made their connections and already have their friends, sometimes you feel like a lost voice. Fortunately, it seemed as though there was always someone who took note of me and extended a connection, which led to another connection, and soon I had a new circle of friends.

It’s easy to be lost among the sea of others and chorus of voices. It’s even easier to tune them out. We share this planet with nearly seven billion other people, so many voices we learn to tune them out until they become mere background noise that we soon don’t even hear.

Each of us have dozens, or hundreds — even thousands — of people pass through our lives, most of whom aren’t even on our radar screen. They’re tuned out. We don’t hear them, much less notice them. The only people who come in clearly to us are the ones we choose to tune in to. Which means the connections we actually make are just a fraction of the opportunities to connect with others if only we would tune them in.

Among all the people who have, and who currently do share this globe, God is aware of each one. And He is aware of you! He knows more than your name, He knows your mind, your heart, your needs, your desires. He has tuned you in! You’re not simply on His radar screen, you’re at the center of His attention.

But have you tuned in God? Do you see and hear Him clearly? Does His Word come in loud and clear above the other voices? Have you received the connection He offers? Who have you tuned in to being part of your life? Who have you tuned out?

Scotty