Presence that brings change

We’ve just come to the end of a 12 week period where we’ve enjoyed sharing our house with three physio volunteers from Australia. When I took the last of them to the airport, I didn’t realise what a difference their departure would make to our household.

Chalk and cheese. Day and night. Visitors and no visitors.

Without their constant presence, we could relax on the good behaviour. And the dam broke.

Noisy, boisterous play. Squabbles over nothing. Defiance, complaining and sulking.

And I haven’t even started on the kids!!

It’s made me think about the other things that keep my behaviour in check. I have to admit that having the accountability of a group of people who support us in prayer and finances, and living amongst a people that I am hoping to reach for Christ, actually serve to curb my behaviour. But does it make me a better person?

What about the people I work with, the friends I visit and the church I worship with? Will my presence bring real change?

I’ve heard that it takes 30 days to create a habit and I was hoping that the volunteers’ presence would create new habits in our family. It didn’t.

A new habit doesn’t equal heart change.

For that, we need the presence of a Father, a Saviour, a Helper, and a heart that is willing to be humbled and change.

...especially after nearly 7 years on the field.