After spending a few hours yesterday writing, editing, reviewing, editing, adding, editing, removing, editing and finally getting to the point where I ‘almost’ had what I wanted to say about our purpose in life, I heard, ‘This instead’.
I don’t know why but I’m going to listen and just let that other article stay in draft status like so many others. I’ll start again.
Let me emphatically state that nothing mentioned here makes any kind of a ‘what a good guy’ statement. My resistance is clear. The story reflects how things happened, how I reacted and that’s that.
So here’s the catalyst for today’s change-up: I read one of those Daily Devotionals this morning. This one was taken from Lysa Terkeurst’s book Embraced and was titled “A Red Coat . . . and a Surprise Blessing.”
This is a story about a desire Lysa experienced and a decision to fulfill that longing when the time was right. As it happens, the unmet hunger remains in favor of helping someone else. This became a ‘Surprise Blessing.’
People read these types of articles once in a while and I wonder if they actually believe that things like this happen to regular people. I will tell you, they do! It has happened to me and if you think carefully, I’ll bet it’s happened to you as well.
A number of years ago, I was driving on Civic Center Drive NW in Rochester, MN. This is a divided road with 2 lanes in each direction moving vehicles from Highway 52 into and out of the downtown area. This particular day was bright, sunny and quite cold after a couple of snowstorms gifted a foot or more of sun-blinding white mountains. The road was plowed adequately yet left a shimmering surface of ice/snow pack on all road surfaces.
Unfortunately, the sidewalks were not in any type of decent condition.
In the left lane of Civic Center Drive, I was traveling toward downtown. I do not remember why or where I was headed but I was a little over a mile away from the Mayo Clinic Baldwin Building. Over the top of the snow-bank lining the sidewalk, I saw two young men walking in the same direction as I. One of them was handling crutches and the other working diligently to support his friend as they made their way through the clogged pathway.
I heard, “Stop. Give them a ride”.
I thought, “Um, I’m already past them. The roads are slippery. It's too late. I didn’t see them in time to stop.”
But that nagging nudge didn’t go away so I found the next right turn and decided backtrack through side streets until I could get back on Civic Center and find these guys again.
All the while, I was thinking that this is a waste of time because they’re probably already at their destination. Even if they’re not, I won’t be able to find them again. And even if I do find them, they’re not going to take a ride from a complete stranger anyway.
I was right about one of those thoughts. I couldn’t find them - at first. So I repeated the backtracking exercise and this time, I saw them. Slowing at the next intersection, I made the right turn, stopped and waited for them to navigate around the snow-drifted sidewalks.
They were delighted to take the ride. They’d been walking for a half-mile already but it had taken them a very long time and they feared they’d certainly be late. You see, it was important because the guy with the crutches was on his way to the Baldwin Building for an appointment as amputation had taken his left leg from the knee down.
I had been unable to see the reason for the crutches when I noticed them due to the height of the snow banks. I had no idea how long they'd braved the cold or how long they'd be forced to navigate knee-deep (word used purposely) snow-covered and iced-up sidewalks on one leg and a crutch.
When shared, the fullness of the love God has FOR us creates a fullness of love IN us for God AND for others. Is it possible that our main purpose in life might be, "Love God and love others as ourselves?" I kinda’ think it is. (See Matthew 22:36-39)
How can we do this?
"Listen - then act."
PS: The above stories could easily bring to mind the experience of someone you know and would be a great addition to the type of narratives I am looking for. They do not have to be religious or spiritual though. If you know of some extraordinary ordinary accounts, please let me know. For more information see Acts that Touched Others and Acts That Touched Others, Part 2, Examples. Thank you so very much for your participation!
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