Things

 

A co-worker of mine has a nice car. It’s not the newest car ever, but it is a quality brand and it’s paid for. Joe, like many men, really liked his car. He and his wife don’t have any kids yet, so you could say that the BMW was Joe’s baby. He keeps it clean, he waxes it, and it shines a beautiful blue color in the sunshine.

While on the way home to visit his family in some nasty weather, Joe was pushing his luck a bit in his sporty car. All of a sudden the slick street took control of the car and it started to slide and spin. Going about 60 mph the BMW hit the highway divider. Thankfully he didn’t hit anyone else during his acrobatics, though during that storm, there were three car wrecks at approximately the same time, two of them ended in fatalities.

In the end, the car was deemed a total wreck, but Joe walked away. He was so thankful for his life, especially after learning of the other two fatalities. Although he was angry at himself for his recklessness, and the financial burden he would have to put on his family to get a new car, he realized that things are just that, things. Life is what is precious.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor 4:17-18)

If we are so focused on the “stuff” in our life, we are probably not placing enough attention on the only thing that matters in this world. God. I wonder if God wasn’t trying to get Joe’s attention. Maybe He wanted Joe to stop focusing in what he has, and start focusing on Whose he is.

“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Heb 12:1-2)

Reflection Question: How is God trying to get your attention on Him? Are you listening?

story used with permission

Airing Dirty Laundry

I was at the laundromat recently cleaning some much overdue Army equipment that some mice thought they would take up residence in, about a year ago.  As I was trying to catch up on some reading, I noticed that the lady who oversees the laundromat was trying to fill up a map with each of the state quarters. Since I was doing laundry and had a pocketful of quarters, I offered her any of mine that she needed. Sure enough she found 2 or 3 she needed and was overly grateful!

Ms. Sonya, the "quarter lady", was listening to some music in Spanish- let me just say she is not Hispanic. I heard her telling another man that she doesn't actually speak Spanish, but the she felt like the Spirit was speaking to her soul when she listened to worship music in Spanish. She wanted to learn to speak the language, but she found it to be too confusing.  As I was folding and packing up my stuff, she walked over to me and I piped in saying that Spanish is actually much easier to learn than English.

We got to chatting a little more and I recommended that she sincerely pray about moving to a Spanish speaking country and following that call of the Spirit. Her eyes lit up. She had never thought of that before! She told me that once her daughter who is a sophomore in HS graduated, she had nothing else tying her to this area. She thanked me over and over again for bringing this idea to her and asked me to pray for her. As I left we embraced in a hug and I promised to pray for her and her for me. And just think, had I been too preoccupied or selfish to share a couple measly quarters that all spend the same to me no matter what state it has on them I could have missed out on this special opportunity to encourage.

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:  Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Tim 4:1-2)

I just know that all of you reading this will pray also for Ms. Sonya and her Spirit's calling.

Reflection Question: Are you listening in a way that you can encourage others?