Is it just me, or do you also find that you have some of the most interesting conversations at the grocery store?  And even when you wouldn't think it possible, like the day I ran in to buy apples and found a great lull in shoppers."Perfect," I thought, "I don't have to talk with anyone, just get in and out and back to my day."When I arrived at the checkout, the cashier was reading the newspaper."Any good news?" I asked him as I placed my apples on the conveyor belt."No, there's never good news in here," he replied as he keyed the apple code into the register and pushed the fruit down the belt to me."If only someone would write a paper with good news," I lamented as I bagged the apples and swiped my credit card.Before I even had the card back in my wallet the cashier slammed his hand down on the conveyor for emphasis and exclaimed, "Go to church, they'll give you a paper with nothing but Good News!"He looked at me intently for a moment, handed me my receipt, smiled and then returned his attention to the newspaper.Momentarily stunned, the only thing I could think to say in reply was "Amen!" and, being dismissed, I grabbed my apples and left the store.He is so right!He wasn't telling me anything I didn't already know.  How had I 'forgotten' it?  It's as if I had lost that truth in the context of my busy day, in one of the aisles of the store perhaps.  Or left it in my car, or on the kitchen counter at home...or...at church.I'd lost my focus on the greatest reality of my life - the Good (the Great!) News of my forgiveness and salvation in Jesus Christ!I do that too often.Is it just me, or are you also finding that you have to intentionally live out your faith by reminding yourself that you have it and then actively applying it to the context of your busy day?  It's not always happening on its own, like groceries moving along on a conveyor belt to the person waiting by the bags.  Life is just too demanding and distracting.  The hours of the day go by so fast, and if we are not mindful of them and purposeful in them they devour the fruits of our faith, fruits that were meant to nourish and bless us, and the people around us."Remain in me," Jesus said, "...He who remains in me, and I in him, bears much fruit." (John 15:3-5)This world, with all of its bad news and distractions, would have us forget who we are in Christ, forget what our lives are to be about.  But if we stay focused on Jesus, we remember that even the bad news points us to Him and can help us point others to Him.Especially the bad news!  Can you think of a better context for delivering the Good News?We are the light of the world for the people who walk in darkness (Matthew 5:14).We are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13).We go to church, commune and read God's Word to be reminded of that, so that we can go out every day and really be light and salt to the world.If I don't stop and take note of the people around me, how will the Good News be written into their busy, stress-filled lives?  If I don't take the time to talk with them and get to know them, how will I ever discover who is in need of some fruit?(At SHLC, we are Joining Jesus on His Mission!  For more information, visit https://dwelling114.org/)