a Smile, a Wave and a Lesson in Being Missional

Several years ago my kids learned a valuable lesson in being Missional.

Today at the grocery store I was reminded about it.

My children used to attend a Christian school locally here and each morning I would drive them to school.

One day we saw a man standing at the bus stop waiting for the bus. We passed this bus stop everyday about the same time. More than once we saw the man standing there.

One morning my daughter said that the man looked sad. So I told her and my son that the next time we went by and he was there, to smile and wave at the man.

So the next time we arrived at the stop thats what they did. The first couple times the man didn't do anything. But my kids kept it up. Finally one day he smiled back. And a couple days later he waved.

For a couple months this went on. My kids would wave and the man would wave. The kids started looking forward each morning to waving at the "bus man." The "bus man" even started to hurry to the stop whemn he saw us coming if he wasnt already there so he could wave.

Late in the school year that year there was a spaghetti supper. So I had the kids write the man a card and put 4 tickets to the dinner in it. One morning I stopped and handed the man the card. I included our email address and told the man we were praying for him.

Later in the day Bob emailed us back. Thanked us for the tickets and told us special his mornings were when the kids waved.

The whole next school year the kids continued to wave at Bob the Bus Man. We have exchanged several emails and even stopped and spoken to him. We share a simple form of God's love with him.

Told my daughter and I saw him in the grocery store. It's been about 8 months since we have seen him. My daughter got to talk with him and he again said how special those times of being waved at were. I emailed him again tonite to let him know he's in our prayers.

Its so powerful that a smile and a wave can have an impact on the Kingdom and can be used to begin to build relationships and teach our kids the power of living a missional life.

missional, missional church, Missional Living, Leadership,

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