A Safe Face

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

You might be an extrovert if you love talking and whether or not you know another person is neither here nor there when it comes to starting a conversation with them. You might be an extrovert if you call out to a total stranger in the shopping centre, “hey, I really like your dress”.

You might be an extrovert if your favourite antidote to a really tough week at work is to text your entire contact list on your way home, saying, “party at mine tonight”.

If that doesn’t sound much like you – perhaps you are an introvert. At the end of a tough week would it energise you to hold an impromptu party at your place or would you rather drill holes in your eyeballs? Would you in fact be more refreshed by some time alone with a good book or your favourite movie or a quiet dinner with a couple of close friends?

Please don’t take these few pointers as a diagnostic tool! Determining whether or not you are an introvert or extrovert is a little more complex and in reality many of us are our own unique combination of introversion and extroversion.

My point in talking about whether we are naturally attention seeking and feel energised when we are in the limelight; or find refreshment and energy in the quiet company of one or two close friends and solitude; my point in talking about this is that whoever we are and however we are wired, I think we all need to know that someone sees us.

I read a story about a small boy who was very afraid of the dark. One night he was so terribly frightened that he crept into his father’s bedroom and lay down on the floor to sleep. It was good to be close to his dad but it was still very dark and the boy could only just make out the shape of his dad lying in the bed. So, the boy whispered, “Daddy is your face turned towards me?”  

His father, replied, “Yes son, my face is turned towards you.”
And the boy closed his eyes and went to sleep.
I hope you have safe faces turned towards you where you live and whatever your home is like you can be sure of the safe face of God turned towards you.

If you are not already part of a local church family why not check some churches out - find a place where you can experience the face of God turned towards you in the good company of others who also call him Father.

There is a beautiful old blessing that God gave to Moses to pass on as a blessing for God’s people.

I’d like to bless you with it today
 ‘May the Lord bless you
    and protect you.
 May the Lord smile on you
    and be gracious to you.
May the Lord turn his face towards you
    and give you peace’
                 Numbers 6:22-26

Karen Siggins

Lead Pastor