Enlarge Your Tent
Heart Prep
Take this time to pray and ask God to open your heart to the people around you.
Ask Him for the strength to be different in a world full of copies.
Ask Him to help you see those who are invisible to everyone else.
Isaiah 54:2 “Enlarge the place of your tent; stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your pegs.”
I’m sure we’ve all been left out of something before. Maybe you aren’t in the “popular” group, or you weren’t picked for the sports team, or you were picked dead last. Maybe your friends decided to get other friends and left you hanging. I think we could all agree that we don’t like those characteristics that appear in people who leave others out. If we don’t like those characteristics in others, then why would we want them to be in us? God says for us to “enlarge the place of (our) tent and stretch out the curtains of (our) dwellings.” He’s saying to invite others in. Enlarge your tent, make room for others to come in. Don’t close the curtains of your tent and leave others out in the cold hard wind and rain. Invite them in. If you see someone at school being picked on, stand up for them. Always do what is right. If you see someone being left off the team in gym, go up to them and invite them onto your team or sit out with them and talk to them. Make them feel invited. You won’t even believe the difference that will make in their life and in yours. Some people are private and will reject your invitation, but don’t let that discourage you. Keep on doing good. Keep on inviting others in. Do unto them as you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12). You would want someone to invite you in if you were left out, so you do the same for them. You would want someone to SEE you, so see those who seem invisible to everyone else. Be different than the average middle school or high school student. Strive to be that one person who invites everyone in and leaves no one out. THAT will get you noticed in a positive Christ-like way!
Life Application
What is God saying to me today?
How can I begin enlarging my tent and stretching my curtains out in order to invite others in?
How does this change my life and what are my next steps?