Psalm 95, 31, 35; Deuteronomy 7:12-16; Titus 2:1-15; John 1:35-42
I was in Argentina just before GAFCon (a terrible name for a conference about the future of Anglicanism) and Lambeth (a meeting of the Bishops of the Anglican Communion). I called up Archbishop Venables and hoping for a few minutes with him at his office. I was amazed that instead he invited me to tea at his house which lasted nearly 4 hours before 6 weeks he’d be away.
In that encounter Archbishop Venables showed me an inspiring vision of being available to people that I strive to live up to. While I'm frustrated frequently by limited time, I desire to follow what I experienced in Argentina and be especially available to the random stranger who interrupts my planned day. I've noticed increasingly, possibly by expectation, that the surprise meetings with people are often the most profound moments of holiness.
The story of the Road to Emmaus and following is one of the places that inspires me with expectation for what God will do during interruptions. So much of Jesus ministry happened while he was on the way to Jerusalem focused on the end yet discerning how to be with people in the present.
What interuptions are most difficult for you to handle?
What interuptions bring blessing to you?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Interruptions
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Difficult Interruptions:
When the interruption keeps repeating, usually a predictable interruption that would be a blessing if I anticipated it except I haven't realized or yet desired to plan for it.
Consistently blessing:
For me, these are consistent blessings Children's interruptions, when homeless people visit, interruptions by strangers I encounter while I'm out doing something else.
Difficult: minutia masquerading as vital just when I have started to do something hard to stop, e.g. My kids demanding something just when I get on the phone.
Blessing: when my child demands a hug even when I am not in the mood. See "Difficult" above.
Just recently, I was working in my classroom on a teacher workday and in walked a mommy...of course I thought it was one of the moms of one of my students and, even more of course, thought it was a surprise visit by a disgruntled parent. (turns out it was a parent of a child that is not even my student). My initial response was not how Jesus would have greeted her... and yet, she was persistent...and bold...and told me what she had come to tell me. God had sent her to my classroom, she said. She had seen signs all over the building welcoming people to a bible study in "Mrs. French's room." That would be me...the one who did not want to be interrupted right then... This mom had an amazing story to share that blessed me enormously and we ended the session by spending quite a long time in prayer. There I was, in public school classroom with a dear lady I did not know - praying together. That mom comes now every week on Thursday morning at 6:30 am and we pray together for her child and for all the kids at my schoool, for the other teachers and staff. We have now been joined by others each week. So, God is at work in my school in a powerful way... I almost missed that with my self-focused concern about work...WOW...thank you God...
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