I used to live at the bottom of a big hill that led into the mountains. My street acted as the border between my town and the next town over. In my town, around this time of year, a bunch of signs went up that read, “If it goes up or blows up it is not allowed within city limits.” However, at the top of that hill in the next town over they had no such restrictions. You could buy almost any kind of fireworks you could imagine. From small little snakes to some of the mortars used by professionals, there were stalls upon stalls ready to take your money.

What this meant for me is that from Memorial Day through the 4th of July I was hearing fireworks all day every day. There were people who would drop a few hundred dollars on product then go across the street to the vacant lot and light off all that they bought. It was noisy and annoying.

If you’ve ever been around that guy at the party who brought his guitar even though no one asked him to, you know the frustration of noise that is out of place. If we all went to this guy’s coffeehouse show, we might enjoy his playing. Sitting under the stars eating a hot dog I might enjoy the fireworks. But we may not enjoy either if it forced upon us.

This is why it’s so important to meet people where they are when we try to show them the love of God. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

You can do all the “right” things, but if you’re doing them with the wrong motivation you’re just adding to the noise. We have been called to add to the love.