Stranger in a Small Town

It was the last weekend of rifle season here in Indiana and I decided to take a couple kids to the tree stand with me. It was supposed to be a daddy-daughter hunt but at the last minute her older brother decided to go along. We had gotten "skunked" - didn't see a deer - the night before behind our house, and I was due for a change of scenery. We have another blind tucked in at the back of the corn field on another property that my family has hunted for the last three decades just outside my hometown. It's a usually a great place to find a whitetail. Not to mention it's a heated blind and I had possession of a backpack full of snacks. It's for the kids, right!? We had the cameras packed, and off we went - with full intentions to harvest a doe - and punch my last tag for the year.

Intentions don't always equal success - and thankfully when you don't kill your dinner you can still drive up town on the corner of State Road 327 and 120 and order it. A warm meal at Chubby's in downtown Orland always hits the spot after a cool night in the deer stand. I walked through the aging solid wood and glass front door, closely followed by my small people and after much discussion - we picked the most excellent booth to take a seat in.

As we meandered to our table, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I saw a camo hat with a green "K" embroidered on it, perched on a fine looking young man's head. It had my attention and I couldn't let it go. I gave a friendly wave and we proceeded to get our drinks and meal ordered but I couldn't quite shake the hat or the gentlemen underneath it from my mind. You likely need some more information to fully understand my new found dilemma. You see; the hat with the green "K" on it is actually a hat for my Dad and I's machine shop. We aren't the kind of company that sells "swag" - and those hats are generally for customers, family and friends, and we're a pretty small company. When you grow up and live in a small town like Orland for the first 22 years of your life, and then run a business there for the last 15 (that's all of my years if you're keeping track) - you usually know who's sitting under the ball cap with your company name on it. But this night I was perplexed.

As the saying goes - "curiosity killed that cat". It also has that effect on 37 year-old bearded men I guess. As the fella and his lady friend got up to leave I asked him his name and told him he had a nice hat. As soon as he told me his first name - the Edison bulb in my brain finally started to glow. I knew his name, who he belonged to, and knew where he probably got that hat. I knew of him pretty well. It all made perfect sense, but the whole experience kind of stuck with me over the next few days. I knew of him - but I didn't know him.

God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV

A Gallup poll from June of 2022 reports that 81% of adult Americans believe in God. While it seems that is a resounding majority, its actually down 6% from 2017. The largest drop in any 5 year period. Also from this same article: "About half of those who believe in God -- equal to 42% of all Americans -- say God hears prayers and can intervene on a person's behalf." I can't help but think about the scriptures in Matthew 7:23b where Jesus says plainly '...I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers'. He is clearly warning about those the know of him, but don't actually know him. While these statistics (and scriptures) don't make me feel very good about the state of some of our fellow countrymen, I do want to offer you some hope!

Knowing God can be re-written into a different word that may resonate better with you. Relationship. God wants us to be in relationship with him! He sent his Son, Jesus, as the perfect sacrifice so we could have eternal life. Without his cleansing blood, we can't enter into that relationship (Romans 5:8-9) He also sent us the Holy Spirit so we can know who God is, and how to follow Him. How awesome is that! Each believer has God dwelling in us. (John 14:16-17) That's a pretty close relationship.

Relationship. I know of alot of people, but I don't have a relationship with all of them. I might know their name, or a single fact about them. I might even see them around town wearing one of my hats. But that doesn't mean I know them. The good news is at anytime I can start that relationship. I can start to know them. Likewise - the Creator of the Universe is waiting for you to start that relationship with him if you haven't already. He created you. (Psalm 149:13) He knows how many hairs are on your head. (Matthew 10:30) He loves you so much that he gave his Son for you - to be in relationship with you for eternity (John 3:16) I hope you take the opportunity to get to know Him!

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:3 NIV

Sources: Gallup Poll