Last Thursday I had a good conversation with a friend of mine, Andrew, who is a pastor. We discussed an issue in his church and I was more than impressed (as usual) with the faithfulness and wisdom of my friend. As our conversation was drawing to a close we, without good reason, we began to talk about being confronted with issues and people we find challenging. We talked about this in the context of our congregations, wondering what our congregations would do if confronted with people that were radically different from themselves. As we were signing off, I encouraged Andrew with Mordecai's words from the book of Esther, "
And who knows but that you have [been placed here] for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14b). We then said our good-byes.
After I hung up the phone I took a trip to the local hardware store to pick up some light bulbs (and the latest small town news). As I was chatting with the hardware store folks I received a cryptic phone call from the Church Administrator saying, "You have a visitor waiting outside for you." I said good-bye and walked back to the church quickly wondering what appointment I had forgotten that morning.
As I walked into my office the Administrator greeted me, then walked past me to open the exterior door and invite a man into my office. The man refused to enter, but motioned for me to come outside. I went outside and quickly realized that 1. this man had not had a shower in probably a week; 2. he carried his possessions in a black garbage bag; and 3. he needed help in many ways. My immediate reaction was to withdraw and grow defensive and send the man away, but thankfully I dismissed that attitude and instead listened to the man (here I must thank the good folks in the chaplain's office of Trenton Psychiatric Hospital who trained and taught me to be a good listener).
The man was scattered in his conversation, but was emphatic that he was only looking for work today to get something to eat and a place to stay. We discussed the kind of work he was looking for (landscaping) and the current needs of the church grounds (weeding), set a wage and went to work. He worked hard and the church looked great. For my part, I talked with the man about his relationship with Jesus Christ and the deep burning questions he was rolling around in his heart and head (though I cannot say I helped to answer any of these questions, we did have a good talk).
As the afternoon wore on I asked the man where he was headed. "South," he said. I explained to him that if he headed south he was walking into the desert and he would surely die. He said, "Well, you know, I have faith and the Lord will take care of me." I replied to him, "Maybe my voice of reason is not a coincidence and the Lord put me here to stop your going out into the desert." He thought about these words and finally agreed that, in principle, it was possible.
As our relationship built over the afternoon, the man began to trust me. So when I suggested that I drive him up to the Gospel Mission in Klamath Falls he reluctantly agreed that perhaps he did need help. As we approached the Mission, however, the man resisted the idea again, even though I assured him that I would go with him and help him. Instead, he asked to be dropped off at a local park and said, "I just want to make my own way." I prayed with him and strongly encouraged him to accept the offer of help that was before him (which he politely refused). He left with a few dollars and some food.
Now I am not convinced that there is no such thing as a coincidence, but last Thursday was a day that showed me the Lord can move in truly mysterious ways. Did I do the right thing, the godly thing, the Christian thing? I don't know. I do know that I did not spend the time I had alloted on my sermon preparation and the service Sunday ran a bit too long as a result. I do know that I do not regret entering into relationship (however brief) with the man. I do know that perhaps, just perhaps, God placed me here last Thursday for such a time as that.
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