God most often uses people to bring Him more people. (Matthew 4:19)

It’s a fascinating concept but one I find to be true of my own coming to Christ. I often think about the first 19 years of my life and all of the people who I interacted with or came in contact with. There were teachers, leaders, coaches, friends, peers, and family members, but no one had as profound of an impact on me than Doug Fox.

I don’t know what it was that brought us together all of those years ago, but Lord Almighty I praise Your name with eternal gratitude for pre-destining us to not just cross paths but ultimately do life together as husband and wife.

Our upbringings were similar, yet completely different. Our relationship most likely began as physical attraction and could have fizzled out as quickly as it ignited, but I believe God encouraged Doug to continue to pursue me despite the world’s influence against us. Even when things got tough, and they did (our relationship was no fairytale), Doug chose to give me grace and love me despite my weaknesses. His love and tenacity as a result of His trust and reliance on God are the only reasons I have become the woman I am today.

Remembering how lost and alone I was convicts my heart with a compassion so deep and strong that I don’t want anyone else to be wandering longer than necessary. There are millions of lost, confused, and nomadic sheep scattered across this planet and it’s impossible to reach them all in our lifetime but we can seek out those who are already in our life.

Those we call friends and family. Teachers at your child’s school. Co-workers at your office. The cashier at your local grocery store. The teller at your bank. The janitor at your gym, or heck, anyone you see at your gym. The amount of people we encounter in our life is limitless, yet our time is very limited.

It doesn’t have to be something heavy, religious, or convicting – it should be an outward appearance, speech, and livelihood that is full of love and laced with grace. It should be a presence that is other-worldly because you belong to a world that is not the one we reside in. It should be shining the light within you so brightly that it blinds someone and begs them to inquire about the goodness you are radiating.

Look around you – who do you see, hear or know that desperately desires to be seen, heard and known? Is there anyone in your life who seems overlooked, underappreciated, weary or struggling to get by? Consider loving on them and doing life with them by inviting them into your own life. Deep down each person wants to feel their life has value, worth and purpose. Remember how you felt when you were just another crop in the field, waiting to be picked, and lonely in the process.

There is no lack of opportunity, resources, knowledge, causes, people or access to the Bible, good churches, or Christian media. There is only a lack of people to gather other people. 

Jesus always had an open door. He allowed Himself to be stopped, inconvenienced and interrupted in order to see and hear the people He came in contact with. But He took it a step further and was also a doer. He went out into the fields and brought people in. He did life with His disciples as well as accepted invitations into stranger’s homes and took the time to meet people where they were. People who were very different than Him and yet, He made time for them and invested in them. He stopped whatever it was He was doing (which was probably equally as important) because He knew time was short and the people were many.

If we claim to follow Jesus and live a life modeled after His, we need to be doing what He was doing.

It’s harvest season, friends. The time is now and the crops are ripe.

Gather the harvest today and put it to use so when the new crops arise there will be more workers working alongside of you.

“Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship]. When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”” 

Matthew 9:35-38 (AMP)