Daily life is full of interruptions. Someone needs something ASAP at work, when your agenda is already full of meetings. You lose your car keys and of course you never know you lost them until needed. Ask any mom of small children about interruptions. Often it is by the minute, not just daily. There are the unexpected phone calls, some that change your life forever. There are good interruptions too, like a marriage proposal or the news of a long awaited child.
It’s the wiggle room of life. How do you make space for interruptions? Would you notice them? Are you willing to be inconvenienced for others? Would you step out in a time of need and allow yourself to inconvenience another if you really needed help?
It’s another part of serving one another. It’s the the good samaritan and the man lying on the side of the road needing medical attention (Luke 10), prodigal son story -you don’t know when they are coming home (Luke 15), or Jesus telling Zaccheus I must stay at your house today (Luke 19).
Thank you strangers in Chicago, who were neighborly, delayed their trip home, and stayed with me to get my car started. I had to ask.
James 4:2b You do not have, because you do not ask.
Would you ask?
Today, from your Father in heaven, what do you need? From your spouse, what do you want to ask? Where is your heart? How about from a friend? If you needed help or assistance, would you ask? Do you wait until there in an emergency? How long will you wait? How desperate are you willing to be?
This is the Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falls, and hath not another to lift him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm alone? And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Matthew 18:19-20 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
The power of one. My pastor has been recently speaking on the difference that one person can make. It is in serving one another, helping another, taking a stand, reaching out, and forgiving.
It’s the hand clasped with each other. You reach out and I take your hand. I reach out and you clasp mine. One and one.
We are better, together.