Expressing God's Love to Those Around Youনমুনা

THE BLESSINGS OF INTERRUPTIONS

When was the last time you helped someone in need? It could be you’ve missed several chances because they were disguised as interruptions instead of opportunities.

Not long ago, I ran a short errand before an important meeting I had across town. As I hustled from the store to my car, I saw a young mother struggling to corral two toddlers while muscling a grocery cart across the parking lot. She looked tired and overwhelmed. I was just backing out when it happened: She reached her car and broke into tears. Her tire was flat.

I wasn’t prepared for this situation. I was running late, and I wasn’t dressed to wrestle with a flat tire. But this young lady clearly needed help, so I rolled up my sleeves and introduced myself. It turns out she was stressed with good reason. Her husband was deployed overseas, and being new to the area, she had no family or friends nearby. She was alone with two children in a new and unfamiliar city. That day, I learned how significant a small act of kindness can be.

And I almost missed it.

Whether it’s single mothers, the elderly, a coworker, or your next door neighbor, people in need are all around us. But the opportunity to come alongside someone doesn’t always present itself when it’s convenient. In fact, it’s usually an interruption. But that shouldn’t surprise us. Much of Jesus’ ministry took place because He welcomed interruption. The woman who touched His cloak, the paralytic lowered through the roof mid-sermon, the disciples waking Him from sleep to calm the storm. Our challenge is this – to keep ourselves open and willing because the chance to be a blessing most often surfaces in unexpected moments.