Do You Have the Audacity to Get Engaged?

When I was engaged, I spent nearly every waking hour thinking about my soon-to-be wife.  Virtually every spare minute was spent looking for ways to show her how much I cared.  I’m amazed by how romantic I was back then, and frankly a little embarrassed at how far removed from those involvements I can become today.  But that’s the subject for a different blog.  The word audacity means boldness or daring, especially with confident disregard for personal safety, conventional thought, or other restrictions.  The term engaged means deeply involved or occupied with another.  As humans, and particularly as Americans, our culture tends to put all of the focus on us.  Therefore it almost seems audacious to engage people around us.  After all, we may never even see them again.  (All the more reason to make the most of this opportunity.)  But we have an opportunity- shoot, even a responsibility- as Christians to become engaged with those we find ourselves around each day.  There’s someone that needs encouragement, a kind word, or a pleasant smile just feet from us each day.  Disengaging from the worries and business of our minds will free up the mental energy to pay the attention required to impact someone else positively.  After all, Jesus said that the most important commandments were to “Love the Lord… and to love your neighbor as yourself.”  If you are like most of us, you may not even know your neighbor next door, but we have people all around us most days.  Let’s have the Guts, the Raw Fortitude, and the Audacity to Get Engaged.