I have the joy of meeting with Ron Frazier (our worship leader) every Wednesday morning.� This is a great time of planning, dreaming and sharing.� Last Wednesday I shared a recent experience with Ron. Ron requested me to share this story in my sermon the following Sunday (which was on the parable of the Good Samaritan).� To Ron's disappointment, I did not share this story.� I want to share it now.� While this is a simple experience that would seem inconsequential in the larger scheme of things, it is my belief that I was actually partnering with the Almighty God in a very simple way.�
Here is the story:
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I was at Fred Meyers � it was an exceptionally hot summer evening. I decided to get some fruit for a snack. For some reason I selected�two nectarines.� I am not sure why�I wanted two�- I only needed one (I know � you�re thinking �gluttony�).
Interestingly enough, the checker couldn't make the nectarines ring up as "nectarines." Finally, out of frustration he rang the nectarines up as white peaches (much cheaper than nectarines).� So to my delight I got two nectarines for the price of one!
As I�was leaving and walking across the parking lot to my car, I noticed�how especially warm it still was�from the scorching day. I glanced over to the side of the store building and saw a homeless man�sitting by the bottle�machines.� At that very moment, I felt the Lord nudge me and�say - "give him a nectarine." So I went over and handed him a nectarine. The man�s hands were shaking and as he reached for the fruit, said "I sure need something!"�That was it. I then said "God bless you;" he responded�with "God�bless you," and I walk away. But as I walked�to my car I felt a wonderful sense of�God's presence. In this one very small act, I believe I was participating with God in His Kingdom.�
The point of my telling this story is not to make me look heroic -�that would be absurd.� The point I want to make is that no act is too small or too inconvenient when God nudges us and shows us a need.��We will never know the full impact of any action kindness or love taken to promote God's kingdom.��What may seem to be a very small act, could in reality have a huge impact.�
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I want to encourage us to two ways:
(1) First, be aware that the very small things we can do to promote God's �world� in the midst of an otherwise harsh world, add up!� Every act of kindness�and love, no matter how small it seems, has the potential to�bring light and relief to a dark and sun scorched�world.�
�(2)�Secondly, listen to�those nudges to do someone a kindness even / especially when it would be inconvenient to do so.��I like Erwin McManus�s observation:�
"Often divine moments look like inconveniences on the front end." (from Seizing Your Divine Moment, by Erwin Raphael McManus)
We are each potentially someone�s Good Samaritan right now.� As we travel our "road," will we listen to God's nudges? the road?� When we come upon these people, will we ask how obeying the �nudge� will affect us, or will we ask how obeying the nudge will affect the person we are asked to help?�
God bless you ,�Kevin�
