Drop ins

As seen in the HEARTbeat and the Village Voice

“Drop-ins”

            Did you have any “drop-ins” this Christmas season?  I guess the better question is do you have drop-in visitors at any time of the year?  I can remember when I was young when people used to stop by to visit with my parents.  We would be sitting on the front porch in the summertime and a car would drive up, friends would get out, and the big waves of their hands would begin.  Greetings such as, “Y’all come on in the house” could be joyously heard.  People didn’t give a second thought to just showing up at friends’ houses to ‘visit.’ 

            Why is it this practice rarely occurs today?  Are people afraid of making friends uncomfortable by just showing up on the doorstep?  Are we so afraid of appearances like dirty clothes or messy houses that we don’t want people showing up unannounced?  Thinking back, it is the joy of the moment when people gave a surprise visit that we are missing.

            Jesus was between one and two years-old when the Magi, the wisemen, showed up on the doorstep of Mary and Joseph’s home.  They had traveled a great distance to see the new king of the Jews foretold in prophecy hundreds of years before.  They didn’t send ahead notice they would be coming, and they certainly didn’t notify the Roman appointee, Herod they were coming.  They just dropped in!

            We actually don’t know how many magi visited Jesus on that faithful day.  Tradition holds there were three because of the three gifts, but we are uncertain of their number.  They first visited Herod as would be the custom when entering kingdom under another king’s rule.  Tradition also holds they would have been riding donkeys or camels, the usual mode of transportation for visiting dignitaries and not horses.  Nonetheless the magi found Jesus and presented to him the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

            After the presentation of their gifts an angel appeared to them in a dream and warned them to not go back to Herod and report as he had requested, but to go home another way.  They did just that, which angered Herod greatly.

            God works “in the moment.”  We are encouraged by the Holy Spirit to act, not to worry about what others may think.  There may be no greater New Year’s resolution than the one to act, not think.  When we feel the compulsion by God to do something, then just do it.  If it truly is from Him, then all the details have already been worked out!

            We need to once again feel the joy of friendship by just dropping in on people.  They may need a visit and are too proud to ask.  God knows, and He will use us to do His handiwork; all we must do is be available.  Make 2023 the year of availability to God.  He will make it one of your most wonderful years with Him ever!