Thursday, October 29, 2009

Change on a Bus

The clock was ticking and we had to get out of the District of Columbia … fast. Through an unforeseen sequence of events, Kathy and I were standing on a street corner waiting for a bus, that would take us to a train, that would take us to our car, that would finally take us home.

Yech.

I had a few bucks in my pocket and nervously awaited the Metrobus. Although I had ridden the bus in Miami countless times, I had never ridden one in D.C. and so was not familiar with their toll system. The fare would be $2.70 and no, they wouldn’t take our Metrorail cards. Leafing through my wallet, I found two singles and a five dollar bill. They also wouldn’t give change.

CRAP.

As we stood there, in the front of the moving bus, swirled with uncertainty as thick as the diesel fumes, it happened.

“Hey, they need some change.” I turned around and noticed a guy in the middle of the bus.

“C’mere,” he motioned to me.

I hesitated, then walked up to him.

“How much ya need?”

I told him the fare, and he gave me five singles for my Lincoln. I gratefully thanked him.

He then turned around and called out cheerfully. “Anybody got change? They need seventy cents.”

An older gentleman motioned me over. He counted out three quarters into his gnarled hands and popped them into mine. I started to give him a dollar but he wouldn’t take it. He asked where we were heading and told us he’d give us a heads up when we got near our stop. I thanked him, paid the fare, and sat down with Kathy.

Once we arrived at our stop and got off the bus, I turned to her and whispered, “You do realize that we just saw an angel.”

Were they angels? I don’t know. Did God provide for our needs through them? You betcha.

How many times in our lives have we rubbed shoulders with messengers from God? How many times have we been served by the angels of the Servant King? When might have we served them?

One of my favorite passages in Scripture revolves around the dialog between Manoah (who would become the father of Samson) and an angel of God. Manoah didn’t recognize that he was in fact a spiritual being. The angel shared that they would have a son who would begin the deliverance of their people from their oppressors.

Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?”

He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.”

The last sentence can also be translated “It is wonderful.”

“It is wonderful.” It is so amazing, that you cannot wrap your finite minds around it. We as a race love to name things. Naming things helps us to categorize, to control. What do we say when we finally understand something? “I get it.”

Why should we show hospitality to others? I mean, anybody can do nice things for others. But what begins to happen when we start asking God to open our eyes to the needs of those around us? When does showing love to others transcend our own understanding? When does the motivation for our service shift from “I am doing this because I want to be a loving/nice/balanced/good person,” to “I am doing this because I see God at work in this. Regardless of the cost, I must press on.”

This week’s challenge encompasses changing our world. We as a church have a vision to expand God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Quite frankly, this isn’t about slapping bricks together to make huge new church buildings or expanding LISTS of people who see things as we do. This is about watching and listening to see where God is at work and joining Him in it.

Reveal God’s love and kindness to someone this week.

Don’t make a decision beforehand on who, what, when, or where. Just make the decision that you’re going to do it and WAIT for God to prepare the circumstances. He’ll let you know.

It is wonderful.

Joe


Related Verses
Hebrews 13:1-2 (NLT)

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

Judges 13:15-18 (NIV)
Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “We would like you to stay until we prepare a young goat for you.”

The angel of the LORD replied, “Even though you detain me, I will not eat any of your food. But if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to the LORD.” (Manoah did not realize that it was the angel of the LORD.)

Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the LORD, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?”

He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding (or is wonderful).”

Matthew 25:31-40 (NLT)“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’


Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quoted marked NIV taken from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

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