Love attracts a crowd, doesn’t it? People knew that Jesus was for them because he routinely approached his neighbors with love and compassion while living a simple life that projected purpose and hope to everyone. It was this no-limits hope that inspired a group of friends to approach barriers as mere stepping stones.

Have you ever felt too far away from God to find your way back to him? Has life surrounded you so that the leading light of heaven appears dim? Have trusted friends let you down, leaving you isolated in the unknown? If so, you’re not alone. And, you can make your way back to joy because, Jesus Reveals His Best When We’re At Our Worst.

I met a group of college students in a Colorado town three summers ago, and we talked about spiritual things. A bright, confident man said he planned to go to hell because all of his friends would be there. Reflecting on his troubling perspective, I later wondered how hell became a place one would want to go for eternity.

I once thought of myself as an expert user of Enable and Harvard Graphics. Have you ever heard of them? They are ancient predecessors of modern word processing and presentation apps. Due to my experience and familiarity with these tools, I reacted smugly when our “know-it-all” IT guru transitioned the entire organization to an upstart app. I protested and resisted, but it was soon apparent to everyone that Microsoft Office was far superior.

Growing up in a small, rural farming community made flying under the town’s radar difficult. I remember blasting a popular 80’s rock song with the car windows down as I rolled up to the local service station one hot summer afternoon. As I exited the car, a mentor who worked there walked up and asked if I understood the song’s lyrics. I naively fumbled an answer, saying something like, “I just like the music, not the lyrics.”

A gym coach recently shouted a familiar military phrase, “Move with a purpose!” and I joked, “Where am I?”. Her spirited encouragement sparked some nostalgia and I was reminded of a related expression.