“Do not be anxious about anything…”
Philippians 4:6
I had something nice happen to me this morning. It’s happened to me a couple of times before in my life, but it was still such a treat.
I went to a get-together at a friend’s house this morning. I’d been invited by her, but I wasn’t sure who else was going to be there, so it was fun being surprised at seeing several friends I hadn’t seen in awhile.
One of the ladies there was someone I met at church several years ago. We enjoyed chatting when we saw each other every Sunday, but when she and her husband started attending a different church, she just sort of vanished from my life. We were never close enough friends that we ever had phone calls or whatever, so when they changed churches, she was just gone.
We’d met under unusual circumstances. My kids were a lot younger, and I had just dropped my boy off at his Sunday school class, and was starting to head to the sanctuary. This gal came in with a 5 year old on one side of her, and a wailing baby on her hip. I offered to help her with the diaper bag, since she clearly had her hands full, and then we sat there for a few minutes, in the classroom, as she tried to get her kids settled. I wondered why her husband wasn’t helping her, so I asked, “Why are you doing this alone? Is your husband out of town?” In response, she burst into tears, saying, “He left us.”
Well, all I could think of was two things: how sorry I felt for this poor woman; and that I was in way over my head. I’ve just never been the outgoing type, and she was a complete stranger. I can comfort a friend, but I didn’t know what to say to this woman, and I kept wishing there was one of the other women from our women’s ministry there to talk to her.
But there wasn’t, so I talked. I don’t know what I said, but I guess she felt comfortable and comfortED. That was her first time visiting our church, and she went there for a few years, during which time her husband came home, and they made a new start. Nice story, eh?
So we were happy to see each other today. We hugged hello, and got caught up on each others’ lives a bit. And then she said to me, “I’ve never forgotten how nice you were to me that first day. I’ve never forgotten what you said, and that Bible verse you shared.” To which I responded, “Really? What verse was that?” She said, “Philippians 4:6.”
I have absolutely no recollection of what I said that day. And I don’t remember sharing Philippians 4:6. I love that verse, so I’m not surprised, but mostly I’m in awe of what God did that day. He reached out to that hurting woman, and gave her comfort and strength and hope. And I got to be a part of it.
Awesome.
Light Expectations 