Hello ,

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A 2011 article in Time reported that our emergency response system, or 911, is quickly becoming outdated and must be retooled in order to reach people in need. The 911 service was created in 1968 to find and rescue people who were injured or dying. The ability for emergency workers to respond was based on the landline telephone network, which immediately gave operators the location of people in need.

However, with the widespread use of cell phones and other phone services, landline phones are becoming obsolete and may someday disappear altogether. While the name of the primary cell phone customer appears, their location could be anywhere. Panicked or injured callers sometimes don't know where they are. So on top of being hurt or endangered, they're also lost and disoriented. If the emergency is in a multi-storied building, the response crew must determine how to pick the right floor.

Time warned: "Such gaps leave us with a patchy emergency infrastructure that has become progressively less able to find people in need." Call centers are upgrading and diversifying their technology, but in the end the advanced technology can't always reach people in crisis. The article pointed to our best resource: "Emergencies are best served by smart people." In other words, the 911 operators must think creatively and quickly to find lost callers and then to send the help that the caller needs.

The purpose of 911 has not changed. People still find themselves injured, lost, or in danger, and in need of rescue. But now more than ever, the rescue operation depends not just on programs or technology, but on committed, compassionate people.*

The very essence of being "lost," is that sometimes, people don't realize just how lost they are.  The spiritual realm is no different.  It would be fairly safe to say that we cross paths with people who are spiritually "lost" on a daily basis.  Our response to themcannot merely be to hand out some small tract, or bit of information that explains what we believe, and why we believe it.  If someone's home were on fire, would we be callous enough to merely hand them a checklist of things that they could do to put the fire out?

I believe that our Heavenly Father calls His representatives to much more than merely disseminating good information.  He has called us to actually be involved in the lives of people who are hurting and struggling to find their way in this world.  Kind, loving, and compassionate responses to their plights can make a world of difference. What can you do today, that will let others know that you truly do care about them?

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word