One of the apps on my phone sent me a “Signal Flare” email because my battery was getting low. If the battery completely died, the phone couldn’t respond to requests to locate it was lost. So, just before it died, the Lookout app set me a map of where my phone was getting ready to go dark.
In the movie Life of Pi, Pi shoots flares from his raft in a vain attempt to be noticed and rescued by a passing ship. He falls into dispair as the ship doesn’t notice his flying fire trails and continues on its course.
Too bad we don’t have an app that automatically senses when we are low on resources and sends out a flare for help. An alert to others when we are in danger of not getting home on our own power.
Some folks use social media as a flare for friends, updating their status on Facebook or tweeting about their hard day. All those “copy and post this” are flares to see if anyone sees them.
Cell phones, even before they had GPS directions, were used by the lost to find guidance. (In my family, folks have been known to call ask a relative to “walk with them” to their goal via their computer with Google Street View!)
An old school way of social connection is church participation. More times than not, a new person coming to worship, especially after a long absence, recently has experienced some trama or crisis in their life. Will anyone see him at church? Will God see her?
Hope you notice the flares sent up around you, and change course to bring the lost and alone back on board. I also pray that when you are sending up flares, someone helps walk you home.