Once upon a time (three days ago) in a land far away (Southaven, MS) there was a grand ball (The Extraordinary Women’s Conference) being held. Everyone was invited to attend because the message of the conference was for everyone to hear, and a grand and marvelous message it was. That message was about God’s Amazing Love!
Songs of praise were lifted to heaven as the women in the arena sang of God’s love. Speakers shared heartfelt testimonies of God’s love in the valleys and on the mountaintops, through the best of times and the worst of times. Tears were shed, and hearts were changed. God’s presence was palpable!
As the first night ended, the thousands of women headed to the parking lot to board their carriages (Car, vans, etc.) Thousands of women equates to many carriages and the exits were very congested. Traffic moved at a snail’s pace, it was late, and the attendees were tired from their travels.
As we crawled toward an exit, I made a decision to demonstrate the love of Jesus by allowing five of the carriages beside me to merge into my lane, providing them a more timely exit. Four of the five weary travelers responded graciously with smiles and waves of appreciation. The attendee in the fifth carriage did not acknowledge my gesture at all so I decided that I would allow one more carriage to access my lane thus ending on a good note.
The ladies in my carriage were undisturbed by the congested traffic as we shared what God had revealed to us over the past few hours. It was at that point that I was startled by a loud noise which left me screaming longer than most people would have. Still screaming I turned toward the sound to find a lady banging (not nicely tapping) on my driver’s side window with both hands. As my screaming ceased, I heard her screaming at me. She demanded (not nicely requested) that I not allow any more carriages to merge because she had a medical emergency in her carriage and needed to get to the closest CVS Pharmacy (which, at that time of night, was already closed). Her intensity suggested that she should have called 911 instead of intimidating me! Still stunned, all I could say as she stormed away was, “That was not very nice!” I suppose I could have said worse.
Still shaken and unable to sleep that night, I mulled over the scenario as I attempted to erase her angry screaming and uncalled for assault on my car window from my mind. It was then that God brought to mind the parable of the sower in Mark 13. All six people in the carriages I allowed through had heard the same message as had I and the angry carriage driver behind me. This message of God’s love had been sown upon each of our hearts equally. However, as the parable states, not all ground is equal in receptivity and fertility.
I do not want to negate the possible gravity of the “medical emergency” in the carriage behind me, but I do want to address the way in which it was angrily conveyed. Had I not known this enraged lady had just emerged from a Christian conference, nothing about her demeanor would have demonstrated the amazing love of God that had just been showered upon us. This is a life lesson we all can learn from as we encounter varying situations with “Christian” as one of our life descriptors. People are watching us when we are least aware. Hopefully their observance will bring cause for them to ask the source of our joy and strength as we walk through this life. Please be conscious of this ability we have to draw others to or repel them from the love of God. Be a light for Him. To God Be the Glory! (And one day we who know Jesus will all live happily ever after in Heaven praising Him! The End)