Learning to be a Reliable Servant of the Lord

It's not often that I wax religious on the old blog, but I have been thinking about something. So, here it is...

Sometimes we are in the exact place someone needs us to be, and it's not a coincidence. And when that moment comes, we have a choice to make. We feel what we are supposed to do, but we still have to act. We choose to act on our impressions or not.

A while back, I saw one of my old Sunday School teachers at Costco. I felt like I should stop and say something, but I was afraid. I was afraid she wouldn't recognize me, that I wouldn't know what to say, that it would be awkward FOR ME. I wasn't thinking about her. I let the moment pass. Again, I saw her from a distance and let the moment pass. Guilt started to creep up my soul and I knew I had missed an opportunity that God had given me to help someone.

Fortunately the story doesn't end there.

My heart uttered a prayer as I continued my shopping. Father, I know I messed up. I know I need to be a more reliable servant to thee. If this was an important moment I missed, PLEASE give me another chance. If it is somehow important that I talk to her today, please let me come across her again.

I finished shopping and was in the car. I felt that I should drive around the parking lot. I saw my Sunday School teacher loading up her car. I pulled over, chatted a few minutes, gave her a hug, and left. I felt better, but I didn't feel that I had done anything spectacular or even important.

Months later, I received a letter from this sweet lady. The brief words shook me. She wrote, "You may never know what it meant to me that you stopped, when you were obviously busy, to talk."

I am trying to get over my fears. My silly fears of people. My silly fear that someone won't want to talk to me when, in fact, maybe they need to see a friendly face.

I am striving to be a reliable servant of the Lord.