“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people." ~ Ephesians 6:7
Collin was driving home after spending the week out of town
on a disappointing business trip. He pictured grabbing an ice-cold drink from
the fridge, kicking his shoes off, and plopping himself on the couch to watch the
Olympics. He could almost feel the remote in his hand.
Yet up ahead he
spotted taillights… hundreds of them. Fearing he would soon nestle into
gridlock, so he brazenly crossed three traffic lanes and proudly left the
interstate on an unfamiliar exit ramp.
A quick check of the GPS
map showed that he was not only on the wrong road, but he’d have to go forty-seven
miles farther out of his way to get home.
Frustrated by the miscalculation and needless waste of time, he pounded the steering wheel. He felt a kind of anger and shame,
having done something both dumb and foolish. He only had himself to blame.
Up ahead, Collin spotted a damaged Ford Mustang parked by
the side of the road with a flat tire. An elderly guy was standing nearby
trying to phone someone. Collin stopped and asked if he needed any help.
“Si, señor,” he admitted tentatively, English wasn’t his first
language. By the looks of his car, he wasn’t a man of even modest means.
A wizened face peered out from under a dingy
cap. He had a spare but lacked the strength to remove the lug nuts.
Collin didn’t hesitate. While working change the tire,
Collin learned that the man was a migrant farm worker from a rough neighborhood
nearby who’d also had a tough week. In addition to this flat tire, he’d gotten
into a car accident a few days ago.
He called Collin, "Un soplo de aire fresco” (a breath
of fresh air) and offered him a few dollars for helping him. Collin refused,
saying: “I was never supposed to even be on this road, but now I know it was to
help you. Thank you for turning my mistake into an opportunity to serve."
Sometimes God may guide us down what seems to be the wrong
road - or at least a road we don’t desire or understand. He provided an opening
for Collin to show compassion and help an unknown person in distress.
God happens for a reason!
Three cheers for Collin having an open heart and welcoming
the chance to serve selflessly. Small gestures of kindness can often make a dramatic
difference in the life of another, but also move us towards becoming
"one" with them - from "me to we."
