Unseen Gaps

Noise outside woke me and as my brain figured out that it was real I got up to notice that it was almost midnight. I took the flashlight to shine on the direction the noise was coming from and there was one chicken, acting as the protector and alerting the owners that they could use some help. Moving the flashlight around, I spotted 2 pairs of eyes, 1 pair was in the chicken coop and the other was trying to get in. I let my flashlight stay on the pair of eyes in the coop while simultaneously waking up my husband, “A raccoon is in the chicken coop! And another one is trying to get in!!”

Puzzled as I was, he couldn’t believe what was happening and how a raccoon even got in. The flashlight stayed on the raccoon inside and we watched as panic set in. Moving and climbing with so much speed and skill, within seconds he found his entrance point and squeezed his way back out. We watched in amazement that the gap was big enough for him to get in and out of because it didn’t seem proportional.

So in the middle of the night, we created a temporary fix to make sure they couldn’t go back in to steal, destroy, and kill our chickens. It was only the next day that we noticed the 2-inch gap above the door of the coop. It was small enough that we didn't even notice. It certainly didn’t seem like a threat, yet we were wrong.

I began examining the 2-inch gaps in life, those things that don’t seem like a big deal, but is leading to destruction. Jesus of Nazareth said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

I’m doing a series on the 2-inch gaps of life and leadership that’s stealing joy, destroying hope, and killing relationships. I’m inviting you to join me weekly here. Let’s intentionally be on the look out for those raccoons. More importantly, let’s grow together in fighting back and protecting ourselves and those we lead.

Join me in fortifying our gaps.