Today Heidie and I were at home and had the doors open since it was nice outside with a cool breeze blowing. The temperature was just about 72 degrees at the time so we thought we would enjoy the fresh air. This year we bought and planted a couple of butterfly bushes out front by our small stoop. While I was sitting in the chair that looks out toward the front of the house, I noticed a big beautiful butterfly going from one of the bushes to the other. He was yellow and black and was the biggest butterfly we had seen so far. I called out to Heidie to check it out. She came to the door and we watched it flit back and forth between the bushes. After a couple of minutes the butterfly took off and headed away. We talked about how we would love to see more of them come and fly around our flowers. We recalled how we saw quite a few at the house where we were going for small groups on Sunday night. The other thing we had seen was some hummingbirds coming up to the porch at there house and enjoying the feeder. There were a couple of them that kept flying back and forth checking to see if we were still there. We decided to finish the group inside to allow them to feed. They eventually got to feed. We thought it would be great to be able to see some at house. Of course we knew it would probably wouldn't happen because of where we live. But we had no sooner gotten out of the house as we were leaving to go shopping when we saw it. Just as we sat in the car we looked up and there was a little hummingbird flying around one of the flowering bushes we had planted. He was looking around for a bloom to check out then left as quickly as he showed up. We got excited and knew we had to get a hummingbird feeder for the deck. Well as I write this, there is a feeder hanging from the deck full of the nectar they love. Our hope is now we will start to see them coming a around on a regular basis and adding to our enjoyment of nature that God has given us.

I do not believe that it was just a chance that the hummingbird showed up when he did. I know that God had a lesson for me to learn. I thought about it and began to see a great truth revealed to me through the Holy Spirit. Just as we realized that in order to try to get the hummingbird to come around by putting up a feeder,we need to do things that will attract people to us so that we might be able to share the good news with them. There has to be something that they see or know that makes them to become open to the gospel. We have to understand what it is that will draw them and begin to use that knowledge to see their lives change. I can't put up a feeder with vinegar in it if I want the hummingbirds. We need to be living for Christ and reflecting His love for people if we are to be the witnesses He has called us to be. The Church (I am referring to the body of Christ not a particular denomination) has to offer folks what they need not just what we think they need. So lets be careful of how we live, act and talk! You may never know who is watching and listening besides God!