Confession: I am shy out in public. I don't like to make eye contact. I don't want to talk to anyone. I just want to accomplish what I'm out to do and then retreat back to my cozy house. Part of why I'm this way because I like to be efficient and check things off my list. Emotionally, it's because I always feel like people will be put off by my physical appearance.
So what do I do now that I'm back from a trip where we learned to be intentional in all our encounters? I can't get Luke 9:23 ( Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.) out of my head. Part of deny myself has to be that I get over my avoidance of personal interactions when I'm out. There's no way I can take up my cross daily and not also obey the command to go and make disciples. It's a hard truth for me, but with God's help, I've got to break out of what's comfortable and move into what's right.