Situational Awareness
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…”
Philippians 1:9
In light of the recent shootings in schools, malls, and movie theaters, an old term has taken on new meaning. “Situational awareness,” once used by flight instructors to their students is now being used by self-defense instructors to their clients and even parents to their children.
Situational awareness is knowing what is going on around you at any given time. It’s constant monitoring of the environment in which you find yourself.
Increasingly, people enter into settings with their antennae up, scanning the room for who is around them, where the closest exit is, and what could provide the greatest protection.
The motivator for this heightened awareness is fear. Fear that causes us to respond with self-protection, suspicion, and control.
While it’s lamentable that we’ve come to this point in our society, there’s a spiritual parallel that can be made. It’s a call for a situational awareness that, rather than being rooted in fear, is rooted in love.
The Situational Awareness of Love
It flows out of the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Philippians.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…”
His desire for them was an ever-increasing discernment as to the who, what, and where of the situations they found themselves in.
Why? So they could offer love.
I experienced this just recently while having breakfast with a friend at a restaurant that I frequent. The waitress is a woman who has served me for years. I know her name and she knows mine, so passing along general “How are you?” greetings is common.
On this occasion, however, I practiced some Spirit-prompted situational awareness and leaned into love.
I asked how her kids were doing. She told me the ages of the two youngest and I shook my head in surprise.
Then she said, “My oldest would have been 40 this year.” She paused and then said, “He never recovered from three tours in Afghanistan and took his life last September.”
As she lingered at our table, I quietly said, “Oh, I’m so sorry. A parent should never have to bury a child. I’m sure this next month will be hard.”
She nodded, with her lip quivering. I added, “I sure will be praying for you.” “Thanks much,” she said weakly.
The whole encounter lasted less than 5 minutes. But as she walked away, I found myself humbled by that moment of vulnerability – that open door for love.
My own experience of having lost a friend to suicide gave me a knowledge and depth of insight that allowed me to offer love in her pain.
In reflecting on that encounter, I found myself wondering how many other opportunities any given day might hold. And I made a renewed commitment to practice situational awareness as I go through my day.
I’m guessing that as I do, I will discover more and more divine appointments, and see more and more occasions to show and share God’s love.
Let me challenge you to do the same. Our God longs for all people – believers and unbelievers – to experience His touch. If we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts of compassion, we might well discover that He will use us as His agents.
Our God longs for all people to experience His touch. If we have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts of compassion, we might well discover that He will use us as His agents.
PRAYER
Lord, sensitive me to make the most of the situations I find myself in. I want to not only love more; I want to love well. Help me to be alert to the body language and words of those I encounter. And give me the courage and compassion to offer love.
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