The Chronicles of Melinda

So this song has popped back into my every day thoughts as I work in the Youth Ministry and I thought I would talk about it a little bit because there is a powerful message in this song that I think every Christian needs to hear.  Click Here to watch the video  Just in case you can’t watch the video I am going to sum it up with the lyrics for you right here and then I’m going to drive home my whole point for this post.  Here goes:

The video reflects the life of a young woman who is out there living on the wayside.  It begins withour young woman jogging by a church, noticing the happy group of people standing outside talking and laughing.  She looks back at them….but…she keeps jogging.   
She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying
But the canyon’s ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She’s another two years older
And she’s three more steps behind
It flashes to her at home, approaching her father who is drinking and he pretty much blows her off not saying a word and putting up a wall between them with his newspaper.  It’s obvious she’s looking for some love and some affection.  Not getting it at home….it flashes to her going out, doing the club/bar thing…and apparently going home with a guy she meets there (and doesn’t really know).  
She is yearning
For shelter and affection
That she never found at home
She is searching
For a hero to ride in
To ride in and save the day
And in walks her prince charming
And he knows just what to say
Momentary lapse of reason
And she gives herself away
 After “giving herself away” she is looking less than happy with herself on her way home.  She looks a mess and looks at herself in the rear view mirror of her car while stopped at a crosswalk.  Then she sees that happy group of people crossing the street in front of her heading to the church.  At this point she on impulse pulls into the church and parks.  She tries to clean herself up to go into the church.  She gets a scornful look from a woman who is passing by.  The woman holds her daughter close to her as if to shelter her as they walk by. 
If judgment looms under every steeple
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can’t see past her scarlet letter
And we’ve never even met her
She contemplates getting back into the car.  But decides to give it a go anyway and is standing right outside of the church doors.  Then she sees that happy group of people come up to go into the church and she gives a hopeful look…like someone will speak to her and make her feel welcome.  But they are oblivious and pass her by , going into the church, doors closing behind them with her standing on the outside.  Our girl…turns and leaves….never going in.
Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she’s going down today
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
Next thing you know, it flashes to our girl working as a waitress in a cafe.  She apparently waited on the same group of people who she has passed jogging by the church, stopped in her car and who have passed her by going into the church.  She is obviously, out of rhythm with herself as she waits for them to clear out.  The group leaves the cafe leaving behind on the table a card that says “Eternal Life”.  As she goes to clean up the table, she crumples the card as she collects her tips.  But then she sits down…and begins to cry.
Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she’s going down today
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
One of the girls comes in, having forgotten her purse.  She sees our girl sitting at the table…looking very lost and upset.  She looks around, starts to turn and leave, but turns back and sits with her.  She reaches out to her, touches her arm and asks if she’s okay….CONNECTION MADE? SOUL SAVED?  

The video ends flashing to another guy…walking the street, hesitating as he notices a happy group of people, but then going on.  It ends…”He is running…a hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction….”

I am sorry ya’ll, but this song to me is a true reflection of how we as Christians have the ability and so often FAIL to reach out to the lost people RIGHT OUTSIDE of our church doors.  The smallest lack of gesture can hinder that.  Look at this verse again:
Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she’s going down today
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
This verse tells us….there is SOMEONE right outside of the church who is looking for that hope and we might not even be noticing them while they are RIGHT under our noses.  Dave is always mentioning how many people there are RIGHT OUTSIDE of our church doors that are unchurched.  Hillsborough, Durham, all of the area RIGHT OUTSIDE of NHC (or your church if you attend somewhere else) is just swimming with people who need Saved.  There are people out there right now that are searching for the hope we as Christians have in Christ.  It’s tucked within us…but really it is waiting for us to bring it out and share it with someone else.  Someone who may be thirsting for that same hope…but relying on someone WITH that hope to offer to share that cup of “living water” with them so that they, too will have eternal life.  To make the initial move to help quench that hope within them so that they may never thirst again.   (The living water Jesus tells the woman at the well about in John Chapter 4…go read it).  

That’s what GOD wants from us.  He doesn’t just want us to bounce around all happy in the Faith, Love and Hope we have in Him keeping it to ourselves.  He intends for us to use those same elements that have renewed our spirits and saved our souls to bring others to Him. To share the Hope that WE have in him with the “lost and lonely people” who are RIGHT OUTSIDE OF OUR CHURCH and going down every time we fail to do that.  We need to be mindful of the looks that we give people.  We need to be mindful of how we appear to people.  If we appear judgemental in the way we look at someone who is obviously lost, by ignoring a look of hope from someone else, by walking past ONE lost soul who is waiting for us to share our hope with them somehow through an effort to reach out and open the door of opportunity…then we are failing to do what GOD intends for us to do.

I just want you all to remember, we can make or break someone’s breakthrough into God’s Kingdom by our own actions or lack thereof.   A look, a smile, a simple hello can make all the difference in someone’s impression.  1 Peter 3:15 tells us…But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  Just remember, sometimes they want to know the answer…they just don’t know how to ask the question.  So sometimes, and more often than not, it is up to us to break the ice, to make that move and to answer the question on their hearts when they are too afraid to ask how they, too can live with the same hope as you!

My Twitter!

• Spring is definitely in the air...love the smell of fresh mowed grass...mmmmmmm 10:31:32 PM March 18, 2010 from txt