“At the proper time, we’ll reap a harvest if we don’t give
up." ~ Galatians 6:9
They were on a collision course of
sorts.
DeAndre started a car-cleaning business when he was just 18
years old. He rented a garage, hired
helpers, and created advertising brochures.
The business prospered. He
intended to sell it and use the proceeds to pay for college, so he was thrilled
when a buyer expressed interest.
After some negotiations, it seemed that the transaction
would happen. But at the last minute,
the deal collapsed. DeAndre felt like an
undertaker watching a man being swallowed by a shark.
“God must have a better plan,” he thought without much
conviction. It wouldn’t be until almost
17 months later that a new potential buyer came forward with a unique idea.
Luke, it turned out, had done time in prison. Illegal drug use had left him a shell of a
man. His marriage had failed. And after multiple charges, he was sentenced to 9 years behind bars.
He knew that he needed to change but also knew that he was
powerless to change on his own. He
enrolled in Prison Fellowship’s spiritual development classes. It was there Luke came to realize he’d been
given unique talents and abilities.
With God’s provision, Luke improved both his life skills and
his character. But that was only the
beginning. He learned how to create the
business plan, and once paroled, shared it with DeAndre.
With a small business loan and the backing of his Prison
Fellowship sponsor, his plan relied on ex-cons.
Sure, he’d heard all the reason not to hire former
prisoners. But his heart (and some
research) suggested that employees with criminal backgrounds were much less
likely to quit their jobs and no more likely to misbehave or get fired than
non-ex-offenders. And he knew from
personal experience that a failure to obtain legitimate employment is one of
the strongest correlates to criminal recidivism.
This collision course had a very happy ending. DeAndre went on to earn his diploma. Luke earned the respect of men who he’d give
a second chance.
It’s normal to be disappointed
when God’s timing and design for our lives don’t match our own expectations. But what’s more important - achieving our
hopes and dreams, or our love for God?
DeAndre understood the true nature of life, that you can't
judge any event as the "end. Our
life doesn't play out like fictional works.
There aren't definite breaks that separate one moment from another; there's
always tomorrow.
There are a million effects which can arise from one
event. Good and bad are
interconnected. They’re two sides of the
same coin. If things seem perfect, they
aren't. If it seems like a disaster in
your corner of the world, it's not.
Things can change in an instant, at all times.
And they will … at some point or another.
Lord, give me the patience to wait on Your plans.
Silence my racing thoughts and
self-imposed time limits. Thank you for
showing me that putting You first is what’s best for me. Amen
