The Zipper
Scenes from the Street, part 2
When you live in a major European city you're bound to see some interesting things. The other day I was walking down the street, and when I was about halfway down the street I saw a man turn the corner.
He was thin, about medium height with dark hair. By all accounts a normal looking man. But then, as I got closer I realized this wasn't just any ordinary individual. As I got nearer I saw that he was zipping and unzipping his zipper on his pants over and over again. Zip. Zip. Zip. Zip. Zip. Zip. Zip. Zip. At first I thought that his zipper was stuck and that he had to keep doing this in order to zip it all the way up, but then I discovered that, no, his zipper was fully functioning. As I passed him and turned round to look some more, he just kept on zipping and unzipping. Zip. Zip. Zip. Zip. Like I said, when you live in a major European city, you're bound to see some interesting things. Now: there is a point to this story. I promise. I will get to the point quickly now.
I probably would have walked right past that man and not even have noticed him if it hadn't have been for his "differentness", but because he was so different, he captured my attention. Boy, did he ever capture my attention! I thought to myself, "When we follow Jesus Christ, we become different, too. I wonder if anybody notices the difference in me?" When someone meets me for the first time, do they leave saying to themselves, "Boy, he sure is different"? Now, I'm not saying that we should all be going around zipping and unzipping our pants while walking down the street to show how different we are. No: the difference people should notice in us can be just a tad more subtle than that:
"let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16
Ask yourself: "Are people noticing a difference in me? Jesus, the light of the world, is living in me. When someone meets me, are they attracted to Jesus because of the way He's affected me? Or are they, God forbid, repelled, simply thinking, 'That is one strange person?'"
As we live with openness, people will notice a difference. In that respect, we do need to open up and "unzip our zippers." So, go ahead: Zip. Zip.
"I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand-shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16 from The Message