Safety?

I don’t watch much television, but the other night I watched a movie made in 2004 that was a pretty good movie called ‘The Village’. It was a movie that really had a positive message behind it.

'The Village' depicts the thrilling tale of an isolated town confronting the astonishing truth that lies just outside its borders. At first glance, this village seems picture perfect, but this close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that creatures reside in the surrounding woods. The evil and foreboding force is so unnerving that none dare venture beyond the borders of the village and into the woods. But when curious, headstrong Lucius Hunt plans to step beyond the boundaries of the town and into the unknown, his bold move threatens to forever change the future of the village.

When I was watching this movie I thought about churches of today that do not venture beyond the old deterring walls of their church buildings and try to reach the lost souls in their hurting communities.

Do we hide where it’s safe or do we just not care?

What would happen if we got out into our neighborhoods and met the people where they lived? Could we be a light to a dark world?

The key is venturing out into the unknown, trusting that God will lead us and take care of us as we care for the lost and hurting.