Alex recounted how he had been invited to speak at a youth conference last summer. He is a highly sought speaker, so it did not surprise me or probably anyone else who has heard him speak that Alex would be asked to speak four or five times at a weeklong conference. Alex described how only a few weeks before the conference, the organizer called him to “tell him” the specific topics on which they wanted Alex to speak. My understanding is that usually in circumstances like this, the invited speaker gets to pick his own topics. But the organizer would not relent so Alex was faced with preparing five new messages on top of his already busy schedule.
Three days before the conference, the organizer called Alex again with additional less-than-great news. It seems that they had run out of hotel rooms so they were asking Alex to share a room with another pastor who he did not know. Alex countered saying that he would pay for his own hotel room because he would need quiet time to prepare for his five new and never-before-presented messages. The organizer explained that there were no hotel rooms available within 80 miles of the conference. Alex was forced to relent and bunk with a stranger and to work his schedule around his roommate’s to prepare his messages each day of the conference. Not ideal circumstances.
The good news is that the week went well and Alex found a new friend in his previously unwanted roommate. In the words of Paul Harvey, now for the rest of the story.
Back to Renee. Alex went on to explain that Renee has no health insurance. The best place to have her surgery done is at Baylor Medical Center. The staff at Baylor estimate that if her surgery goes well it will cost $100,000. That is $100,000 that she does not have.
The coincidence is that Alex’s previously undesired roommate from last summer’s conference is on the board at Baylor Medical Center that makes decisions regarding benevolence of those patients who cannot otherwise afford treatment. Alex, upon hearing of Renee’s plight, of course called his new friend from Baylor Medical Center. There was no doubt in Alex’s mind nor the minds of any of us hearing the story that Alex’s forced-cohabitation of last summer was a “divine appointment.”
This begs the question. How many divine appointments are we currently fighting because they are not convenient? The thought I can’t get out of my head is “What if EVERY single person with whom we come into contact is actually a divine appointment?” Perhaps they are not all as dramatic as the story that Alex told. But I now have this mental image of every person in the world holding in one hand a puzzle that is missing a few pieces. Those missing puzzle pieces can only be supplied by others around us. In the other hand I picture puzzle pieces that others need to complete their puzzles.
How much differently would we live life if we viewed those around us in that way? Would we be as short-tempered with the guy at work who has nothing to do and seems to want to do it in our office? Would we be as judgmental of the pushy “little league parents” on our children’s sports teams? Would we cross to the other side of the walkway at the mall to avoid those undesirables who are different from us and take us out of our comfort zone? Would we be too busy, to help with that Habitat for Humanity project or to go on that mission trip? Would we be quite as reluctant to write that check to help feed the homeless?
Are you aware of your divine appointments? I can tell you that my interactions with others over the past two weeks have been completely different now that I view them ALL as potential divine appointments. I have a little more passion and COMpassion toward helping others who in the past may have taxed my patience. It is something to think about. While you are at it, say a little prayer for Renee. Maybe you too have a divine appointment to intercede on her behalf.
Until next time - What are you passionate about? What are you doing about it?
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