Just four words: "I know my own."  These words, spoken by Jesus, are, of course, part of a longer discourse.  "I am the Good Shepherd," he said, "I know my own and they know me."  The lesson goes on from there, but I've been thinking about those first four words a lot lately.  They're simple enough, but I'm experiencing them in a whole new way recently.  Jesus knows me: my history, my emotional make-up, my fears, insecurities, dreams, and go-to responses in life.  He knows me because I am His own.  Our relationship isn't based on my religiosity, good works, or my ability to know Him.  HE knows me.  So what does that look like in practical application?

Last weekend I had a show scheduled at a nursing home in the next town over.  I did a quick trip to the town's garbage dump before packing up for the show, and on the way home, my car's power steering went, the engine showed it was running hot, and all the 'idiot' lights came on.  I recognized it as the serpantine belt being on the verge of breaking.  There was no way I'd get to the show.  And God reminded me that He knows me: my situation, the fact that Covid and a snow storm had caused me to postpone this show twice already, my fear of getting a bad reputation for canceling so many times, and my tendency to worry. I was overwhelmed with -not anxiety- but peace.  Jesus knows me and knows the situation. I had no solutions, just peace of mind based on nothing but the promise that the Lord knows me.

Soon I felt the right thing to do was to ask  a neighbor and someone who we've gone to church with for years to borrow their car. Here my got to emotion is shame that I can't fix my own problems and embarressment that I need to ask for help.  But this time I remembered that God knows me: my emotional make up and insecurities.  I knew that Jim and Deb were not only happy to help me out, but were actively supporting a ministry that is truly important.   I got to the show with enough time to set up and start only 15 minutes late, which was 15 minutes they would have asked me for because they were running late!

Later in the week, I emceed our school's talent show.  When the show was over and the judges deliberated over the winners, I performed my favorite rouine: "Mary and Marty".  This is a routine with some juggling that needs to be particularly precise.  As I worked through the skit, I blew a couple tricks.  It would be normal for me to get discouraged only to make more mistakes.  But I recalled those four words: "I know my own."  I didn't let discouragement enter my head,a and the routine finished strong, and more importantly, the point of the routine came across pretty well.

There have been many other small moments recently in which I have meditated upon those four words: "I know my own" .