“You put people in our path on purpose; Lord, show me my
assignment today!” ~ Joel Osteen
“Hey, hold the door!” an urgent
voice echoed off the marble hallway.
Already in the elevator, Smita was running late for an
interview that she’d been looking forward to for the past two weeks. Just as she reached for the ‘Close Door’
button, the Bible she’d been carrying under her left arm fell to the
floor.
The man whose voice she’d heard seconds before, squeezed
into the elevator just before the doors closed. Even though only two of them occupied the
spacious car, Smita moved slightly to make room for him as the lift began its
upward flight.
Suddenly the lights flickered and Smita gasped. Normally humming gears now groaned and creaked
until the car stopped somewhere between the third and fourth floors. The space went dark. Both occupants stood on their marks for a
moment without speaking.
Once her eyes adjusted to the blackness, Smita pounded every
button on the panel hoping that by some miracle her actions would magically
turn the stupid machine back on and deliver them to their destination. After several failed attempts, she slumped
against the car’s wall.
Rather than silently facing the door, he looked at her and
said: “I’m sorry about your interview.”
It was a simple yet oh-so-kind gesture that started a conversation.
They chatted while mechanics worked to repair the
elevator. Their dialogue progressed to
jobs and then family. He revealed that
recently he’d lost a son in a car accident.
Another son was a passenger in the car and had narrowly survived.
He grappled with the crushing pain of losing a child while
attempting to remain strong and stoic for the rest of his family. It's something Smita would never have known
had he not opened the door to conversation.
Her God placed them together today on purpose.
She told him about how she became a believer; told him the
story of Roman’s Road; explained why her faith was so strong. And he listened to every word.
Neither of them could see the brawny angel holding the
elevator cables still as her testimony was given. Nor could they hear the cheers ringing out in
another dimension as the words of faith and encouragement were spoken.
Thirty minutes later, the elevator doors opened. Two maintenance men and one security guard
stared as they looked upon the pair embracing one another in the center of the
elevator, tears streaming down both their faces.
One of the maintenance men yelled out. "Hey you're free now!"
The man shook the maintenance man's hand - tears still
streaming down his face - and told him the good news. "Yes I am. I’m definitely free now!"
Dear
God, please show me the spiritual need of those I come in contact with. Give me a courageous, sensitive, and loving
heart that will see people as You see them and love them according to their
need." Amen
