Logo

 

Banner Image:   Baptist-Times-banner-2000x370-
Template Mode:   Baptist Times
Icon
    Post     Tweet

Moving out of our comfort zone

An encounter with an elderly newspaper man at a train station leaves Sally Claydon wondering where we can deliver the gift of Jesus

 
It’s a summer morning with a bit of a chill in the air and I’m waiting for the sun to truly shine its rays of warmth.
 
GoodNews
Picture: Stuart Miles/freedigitalphotos.net

At the railway station I buy my ticket and walk over the bridge to sit and wait for my train to London. It’s 6.30am and I’m not used to the early commute.

An elderly gentleman with his cap, overcoat and walking stick slowly makes his way down the platform and we greet each other and chat about the weather.  ‘Where are you off to?’ I ask.

‘Nowhere,’ he replies.
 
It turns out he’s the Metro man - his job is to hand out the early edition of the commuters’ newspaper to businessmen and women off to the big city.

Except that over the years he’s noticed something. He realised that commuters have their morning routine pinned down to the last second, with many arriving at the station as the train pulls in. Mostly season-ticket holders, they have no time or need to enter the ticket office. Some even use an alternative entrance straight onto the London-bound platform.
 
So, every day, he packs a carrier bag of newspapers and, despite his age and need for a walking aid, he climbs the steps of the bridge over the tracks and makes his way to the London-bound platform, so that he’s there ready to meet his customers and pass them their paper as they hop on the train.
 
As the train pulls in he wishes us a good day and watches, like a grandfather waving off family, as we pull away.
 
As I reflected on my encounter with him it occurred to me that as the newspaper is free of charge, he could just leave them in the ticket office for people to help themselves and go back to bed.

And yet he’s motivated to get up each day, whatever the weather, and move from his comfort zone, from his proper spot in the ticket office, to where the need is - over the bridge and on the London-bound platform. Even there he could leave the papers in a pile but no, he knows his customers and is there, as every last one jumps onto the train, ready to hand them a paper.
 
What a lesson for us all in church and Girls’ Brigade. We have a free gift to give away too.
 
How often do we move from our comfort zone, from the safety of our four walls, to the places where people are?

Where can we deliver the gift of Jesus - the gift of His love and acceptance - straight into the hands of those who need it?

 
Sally Claydon is Girls’ Brigade team leader at 1st Hawkwell group, based at Hawkwell Baptist Church, Rochford, Essex. She writes a regular column about the Girls’ Brigade for The Baptist Times.

    Post     Tweet
Everyone Everywhere: a conversation with Alan Hirsch
Alex Harris reflects on a day inviting practitioners, planters, imaginers and leaders to think about how to create greater movement in sharing Jesus and starting churches
'Does this serve Jesus and his kingdom first?'
With input from Alan Hirsch, the latest Everyone Everywhere national conference explored missional togetherness, and how we become less institutional and more movement-oriented. Simon Hall offers this reflection
Navigating cultural landscapes: lessons from a reverse missionary
Mutual learning is central to bridging cultures, involving a two-way exchange where both parties bring their unique perspectives and insights to the table, writes Henry C. Ohakah, minister, Mountsorrel Baptist Church
An “Island of Strangers” or diverse communities of inclusion?
Once again, a Western government misleads its voters over immigration, writes John Heathershaw. Political discourse has become devoid of hope on this issue and misses the practical realities of inclusion
On the edge of the abyss
After recently spending eight days in Israel, Baptist church member David Nelson offers this reflection
Flourishing churches and the power of leadership
Laura Palmer shares reflections from a church planting conference hosted by the Bede Centre for Church Planting Theology at Cranmer Hall in Durham
     The Baptist Times 
    Posted: 08/05/2025
    Posted: 25/04/2025
    Posted: 11/04/2025
    Posted: 11/02/2025
    Posted: 03/02/2025
    Posted: 27/01/2025
    Posted: 18/12/2024
    Posted: 11/12/2024
    Posted: 28/11/2024
    Posted: 18/11/2024
    Posted: 14/10/2024
    Posted: 02/10/2024
     
    Text Size:  
    Small (Default)
    Medium
    Large
    Contrast:  
    Normal
    High Contrast