Refreshing Wisdom

My father-in-law, Don, is turning fifty. Tomorrow! The joy of birthdays ebbs and flows, but fifty should be a memorable one. Josh and I had dinner with Don and Patty, as well as an older gentleman, Harold, from the Weippe church.

Dinners with Don and Patty are always a bit reviving for me. There aren't many people I feel free to let my hair down with here, and Josh is kind of in the same boat. When you become "the pastor" or "the teacher," the circle of trust shrinks a bit. I don't know if that happens to everyone, but it sure has happened to us, so we relish the moments when we can be real.

Sitting around a card table on our porch, waiting to eat food from Dutch ovens, laughing back and forth as we shared stories, Harold was asked to pray for the food.

"Lord, today was a good day. And you've given us lots of good days. Thanks for saving us..."

Harold finished praying, then he told us a story.

Back in Harold's youth, he knew a man who turned every opportunity into a "God moment."

This un-named friend was out late one evening, and someone tried to rob him. With a gun in his ribs, Harold's friend began to laugh. The robber said, "What's so funny," and the man reached around to his wallet, opened it, and showed the robber just how much money he had: zero.

Harold's friend asked the robber if he'd like to come up to his apartment for some food. "I don't have any money, but I've got food, and you're welcome to it."

Harold said they talked late into the evening, and by 4:00 in the morning, the robber was on his knees yelling, "Lord! Save me!"

And then Harold said something that is still echoing around in my brain.

"How many opportunities do we miss? How many opportunities have I missed?"

And me as well.

How many?

A man who tried to rob Harold's friend found Christ on the floor with the man he tried to rob. I've snubbed people for far less.

Harold gave me a new perspective on ministry tonight. And it's hard. But again I say, God never promised that it would be easy, as I am finding with most things in this life. Yes, some seasons are smoother than others, and some people are easier to love, but that shouldn't halt ministry, and it shouldn't staunch Love.

Today was a good day. It may not have been my birthday, but I'll cherish this one.

Lord, thanks for saving us.