Lean Into It

I had a big agenda for yesterday…a long to-do list that started with me delivering breakfasts from our church to nine families around town. It normally takes less than an hour to deliver my usual route, so when I pulled into the church parking lot I was already thinking about what great things I might find at the Farmer’s Market later.

Pleasant View UMC has about 100 people on 8 or 9 delivery routes that we cook breakfast for every Saturday, and to my knowledge we’ve only missed one Saturday (due to an ice storm) in almost 10 years. Different people cook and deliver each weekend, so occasionally wires get crossed and a driver will have to deliver two routes. Such was my fate yesterday.

After making several calls and not finding anyone who could come and deliver the orphaned route, I grudgingly said I would do it in addition to the one I was already delivering. I think my exact words to God and my friend Sue were, “I’ll do it, but not with a joyful heart!” Not exactly a picture of Christian action and humble service, but hey, I had things to do, you know? I had a plan.

Well, it turned out God had a different plan. Typically when we deliver meals, the exchange is pleasant and fairly commonplace. “Good morning…I've got your breakfast. So, how’re you doing today? Great? Glad to hear it! Let me know if we can do anything for you, and we’ll see you next week.”

The conversation, which I believe is often more important than the meal itself, isn’t always that superficial. After you deliver to the same people for awhile you get to know their stories…their needs…what kind of place they’re at in their lives. A lot of them are poor, lonely, elderly, or all of the above, and you grow to love them.

All the same, you don’t delve deeply every Saturday, and sometimes people don’t even open their doors. So it was an anomaly when, on my very first stop, I was able to share with Mary's daughter that if she would call the church office Monday, I felt sure our Helping Hands Ministry could help take care of the birds in the eaves of their house. The daughter was relieved to have a solution that might keep her 80-year-old mother off of the ladder. I got a big bear hug and a blessing, and my heart was immediately softened and changed about my purpose.

A few streets over, I was surprised to find myself in a lengthier than normal conversation with Jerry, whose daughter and son-in-law are moving into the area and don’t have health insurance. I was glad to share information with him about our new facility that just opened this week – The Wesley Clinic – created specifically to serve the uninsured on Fridays from 9-4 p.m.

When I arrived at Della’s house, a crew was mowing her lawn. She mentioned that she was glad to have them there, but she would have to go out later and sweep the grass off of her sidewalk. That might not sound like a big deal to you, but Della has a condition that keeps her physically off balance all of the time, and so sweeping is a big deal to her. I’m ashamed to say I tried to leave, and ultimately had to turn around on my way to the car, go back and ask for her broom, and sweep the sidewalk for her.

The highlight of my morning came when I stopped at Marie's house. We'd never actually met; I'd only put her meal on top of the freezer in her enclosed porch, per instructions. So when I opened the door and she was waiting for me, it took me aback a little. But her daughter and three grandchildren lost everything they owned in a tornado in Florida this week; two of their neighbors were killed. Marie knows they have everything because they have each other, but she still wanted prayer for her daughter, and after I prayed with her (is there anything so humbling?) she told me her life story, filled with pain and abuse and sorrow that ultimately resulted in a testimony that absolutely blew me away.

Early on in my deliveries yesterday I heard God tell me very clearly, “Lean into this.” ...In other words, don't just go through the motions. And to think that my plan would have had me fly through my deliveries yesterday and not truly offer Jesus to anyone.

So don't just skim the surface with people. Take the time to ask the hard questions, and really listen to the answers. Sometimes you’ll have a solution, and sometimes you won’t. But if you’re where He wants you and you’re open to His leading, He’ll do the rest.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ~ Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

Mowing photo from www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/.../outdoors/mowing.jpg