Our neighbors had invited several people to their home, including the two of us. But as the time came to walk across the street, my introverted tendencies arose with a vengeance. I dreaded small talk and worried that I wouldn’t know anyone. I wanted nothing more than to stay in my house and curl up with a book.
Our voices are a force. They determine our future and they reveal our hearts (see Luke 6:45). Our words may sound simple, but they elicit every emotion—from tears to laughter and fear to faith. Your voice has the power to set the world on fire (James 3:5), and it is needed in this hour like never before.
The story of Rahab the prostitute has fascinated Bible students and lay persons for centuries. Her story appears in a mere two chapters in the book of Joshua, and the events are curious right from the start. The book opens with God commissioning Joshua to lead the Israelites after the death of their leader Moses. Yet no sooner do the people come to the edge of the Promised Land than God puts the whole drama on hold to tell us the story of a Canaanite prostitute. This interruption of the conquest story is not an accident, and it gives us our first glimpse into the theological significance of Rahab’s story.
It was a simple sentence, a question that I thought would be welcomed by all. “Please, could you take a photo of us?” I asked the waitress as we all sat at the table enjoying our Sunday meal in an imaginatively furnished restaurant. “Of course,” said the waitress with a smile as she took my phone. However, neither of us appreciated the drama that was about to unfold. It didn’t even cross my mind that there may be someone who would be so strongly against having their picture taken and that it could even cause someone pain.
It can be tempting to excuse ourselves from serving others because of how busy we are, because we don’t think we have much to offer, or because we are in a particularly difficult season of life. But when God tells us that we are to serve others, He doesn’t give us an *if you feel like it by the command. I believe we can always find even small ways to serve others. And quite often, serving others helps us with our own perspectives and mindsets, making way for more purpose and joy in our own lives.