I love clocks and never realized how many I had and what they mean to me until recently.

I have a mantle clock that was given to me several years ago that is absolutely beautiful! It’s tall, it’s sturdy and it chimes every half hour. It sits on my piano and every time I hear it, I pray for the friends who gave it to me.

In my possession, I also have my Mom’s alarm clock that is a chicken with sunglasses, holding a guitar and instead of a beep beep beep, this alarm clock says “Hey! Ho! Come on baby wake up! Come and dance with me!” The grandkids loved this clock! It’s fun!

Then I have another mantel clock that belonged to my great-grandparents. It sits on my buffet and keeps perfect time! However, the chimes don’t always match the time. It could be 11 and it will only chime 4, so I can’t depend on what it “says” but I love it anyway!

Hanging above my head is a beautiful clock given to me by my family and best friend and every hour the face comes apart and it plays one of eight different tunes from “Around the World” to “Unchained Melody.” Although I can’t see it from where I sit, it’s a constant reminder to me that it’s there.

Then, there’s my cuckoo clock whose ticking is loud, the bird sometimes doesn’t shut his door when he’s finished announcing the time and my cat just can’t figure it out.

These clocks are all very different in their looks, in the way that they work, where they are placed and when they “speak.”

But they all have one thing in common. They all tell time …. they just all do it in a different way! So it is with Christians.

My faith story is different than your faith story. Does that make me wrong and you right? Absolutely not! We are all on a journey and some are further along in that journey. I have a gentleman in one of my congregations that can not only tell you when, where, and why a battle in the Old Testament occurred but can tell you how many died in that battle! Can I do that? Ahhh … I don’t think so!

And I have some that are just now learning the “standard” Bible stories….Noah, Moses, Jonah, etc.

Are these two receiving the love from God in different measures? No!

Not only do we need to read God’s word and listen, but God encourages us to tell our story. That’s how we share Christ.

Just like my clocks …. we have different “ticks and tocks,” different faces, different tones yet we all serve the same God.

There are those who can quote Scripture, verse, chapter, book to share Christ. There are those send cards, make phone calls, visit and pray.

And then, there are some who just sit and listen.

That’s what Jesus did when he told the parables. He shared stories that made you think. He shared them with folks as sturdy as my mantle clock, as goofy as my chicken clock, as beautiful as my music clock and as unpredictable as my great grandparents clock. It didn’t matter to him who you were/are because he loves all of us! He shared his story with everyone he met and he encourages us to do the same!

God puts people in our paths for a reason … paths cross for one reason and one reason only…to either be a blessing … or to be blessed

So, where did you share God today?