My sphere of influence

I keep thinking about the people I rub shoulders with every day.
  Do they know Christ?
  What's going on in their lives?
  Can I say something that will make a difference in their day?
  How can I show Christ to them?
  Am I willing to be involved in a relationship with them if that is required?

Being semi-retired, my life looks a lot different.  There is this new thing called "discretionary time".  Don't get me wrong.  The common disclaimer--"I'm busier now than I was when I was working full-time" has crossed my mind more than once.

But only for a moment.  The reality is I no longer work every day and my sixty hour work weeks look more like twenty hour weeks.  That's a lot more time for which to be accountable as I see it.

Not that I need to account for every minute, nor do I need to fill every moment with activity and responsibility.  But I do get to make choices about the use of my time that are new and exciting for me.

So back to the opening paragraph.  These are the questions I've been grappling with now that I am no longer a senior pastor with a reimbursed job description--as it were--that provided a platform for me to do the Lord's work.

I am also being influenced by a book on Discipleship by Jim Putman and the intentionality of it.  God called me to be a disciple and to make disciples, and that calling has not changed as I have moved from clergy (that's a high brow word) to the laity.

Following Bible study today to men approached me about meeting with them individually for coffee. I think God may be opening the doors of opportunity for me once again.

How about your sphere of influence?  Dare to ask the important questions...