Have you ever had someone unexpectedly come into your life for a short while, then leave just as mysteriously as they came?
I experienced this last week at the Thursday Dinner Table, a ministry at my church that serves a free meal to the community once a week. It was a very busy night at the TDT with a modest count of 150 people and an excess of volunteers who came joyfully to serve. One of our volunteers, Joe, who comes about once a month was helping on the serving line. Joe's quite the sarcastic person, who always has a comeback on the tip of his tongue.
What I did not know about Joe, was last week was the last time he would be there. He's moving to the East coast to start a new job. Though it is exciting to have a new job that can help you make a career, it saddens me that he won't be able to join us at the TDT anymore.
Joe came unexpectedly to the TDT crew and blessed us with his presence, sarcastic or not. It makes me wonder if we were able to bless him like he blessed us. These brief interactions with people I believe cannot go with meaning or purpose. God intersects our lives together for periods of time to teach or show us something. Or perhaps to teach or show someone else. Personally speaking, it is so hard to see these moments because I am stuck looking at myself and not other people.
I guess I was reminded from the brief intersection of Joe and the TDT that I need to stop looking at myself all the time. It is so easy to miss unbelievable opportunities to serve and love on others when I am more concerned about what "I" am doing the next day or who "I" want to spend time with. I want to challenge you, and I'm challenging myself at the same time, to open our eyes to the lives of those around us. Ask for God to provide opportunities to help others. If we ask with an earnest and sincere heart, he will always provide.
I hope for the best for Joe in his future and that we'll see his face again at the Thursday Dinner Table.
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