Don’t Be An Easy Target

Mr. 4-Ever is an excellent marksman.

In an effort to improve his skills,
we watch A LOT o
videos on how to kill stuff.

Sometimes it’s a guy in camo
sitting in a tree waiting for his trophy buck.

Sometimes it’s a guy lurking in the weeds
with a goofy sounding whistle
trying to trick a turkey into coming closer.

Occasionally, we take a break from camo guys
and watch a nature video of a lion
hunting for dinner.

The Bible says in
1 Peter 5:8
Your enemy the devil prowls around
like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Have you noticed that lions don’t go after the 
fattest,
healthiest,
most popular
animal in the middle of the pack?

Nope,
the lion goes for the easy prey.

The weak.
The broken.
The lonely.
The one on the fringe.

If our enemy the devil
prowls after us like a lion,
we are safest in the midst of a herd.

Don’t be an easy target.

Find and build your community
support system.

Living in community
keeps us safe.

Living in community
brings out the best in us.

Living in community
is just plain more fun.

But how in the world do we find
and establish a community?

JOIN!

Join in stuff.
Join a Bible study
a bowling league,
a book club.
Volunteer at a school
a museum,
a library,
blood bank or
hospital.

Go do stuff you like to do,
then look for interesting people
who are doing it, too!

INVITE!

Once you find an interesting candidate
to be part of your community,
invite her for coffee or lunch
so you can talk.
See if there is a spark.

If you find enough common ground,
keep talking …
in person
on the phone,
get to know one another.

Arrange playdates
or double dates.

WORK!

Being part of a community means
contributing.
Cook meals together and split them between you.

Volunteer to serve together
at church
or in ministry
for a fundraiser
or a gala
or at a campgrounds.

Some of my best memories are of
sore feet soaking while laughing with my girlfriend
after a big event.

Celebrate each other’s birthday
or promotion
or pregnancy.
Any accomplishment or
hurdle overcome is cause to celebrate with
cards or cake
or wine and cheese
or a fancy meal
or quiet congratulations.

Living in community
is essential for survival.

Don’t be an easy target.

Building your tribe now insures that when
life takes an unexpected turn,
you won’t be facing it alone.

When the loss is big
like a spouse or a child,
you won’t be alone to face it.

If the trial is traumatic
like an accident or a cruddy diagnosis,
your tribe will rally around you.

If the upheaval is material
like a house fire or job loss,
your peeps will fill in the gaps
till solid ground is found.

Your tribe will know what you need and
be there to provide it
whether it’s a meal
or shoulder to cry on.

Don’t be like the feeble animal
on the fringe of the herd
on the Serengeti
waiting for the lion to pounce.

Don’t be an easy target.

Get into a group or tribe or community
that will safeguard you
and your future.

Tell me about your tribe or BFF.
How did you find her and
what’s your favorite thing to do with her?

 Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecc. 4:9-12 NIV