I recently read about a group of people in churches in Russia called “poustinikki.” These people would withdraw to a deserted place, and devote themselves to a life of prayer and solitude. But, they weren’t necessarily isolated from everyone, the way you might expect.
In fact, the Russian word for solitude actually means “being with everyone.”According to the author Tilden Edwards, the latch was never on the doors of the homes of the poustinikki. “The poustinik’s priority at any time was his neighbor’s need (which might stretch beyond prayer and counsel to physical labor, as at harvest time).” What an amazing concept!
Remember that our goal is to practice serving, in order to produce great-er humility in our lives. And, one of our goals is to spend at least one entire day simply being available to serve whomever and wherever we’re needed that day. While you may not want to literally take the latch off the door to your home -it may be time for you to take the latch off the door to your life, schedule, and heart.
Don’t let a focus on schedule cause you to lose site of the people around you that need you.“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your free-dom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” -Galatians 5:13-14B – Bryan Dill
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