I was blessed the other night. I was blessed by the privilege to speak to our church’s youth group and share in communion with them during their Overflow worship service. Yes, that was a blessing. But actually that isn’t the blessing I’m speaking of. There was a blessing that took place just before my time with the youth.
As happens occasionally, there was an individual who was passing by the church and stopped in for a moment. He found me in the chapel and we visited for a little bit. I’ll admit, I was busily getting ready for the Overflow service with the youth so I wasn’t giving the individual my full attention. I’ll also admit, there was a part of me thinking, I don’t have time for this. Looking back on it, if I had just pushed the gentleman out the door I would have missed out on the blessing.
Yes, this was someone that I recognized. He’d been here to the church before. Yes, he was of a different ethnicity than me. Yes, it was apparent that he wasn’t in full control of his faculties and that he was under the influence of something. We visited for a moment, and then I told him I was getting ready for another activity. As we talked, I slowly started moving him toward the front door.
Then he asked me the question. “Do you have anything to eat here.” Well, the youth had pizza for their meal, but it was already devoured and there were no leftovers. I told him I didn’t think we did. Then I remembered our small office refrigerator and some crackers that someone had donated to the church that were on the back counter. I told the man to wait for a moment. I went to the refrigerator and found a yogurt cup and some apple slices (sorry Tonya, Short, or Becky if they were yours). I grabbed a couple of the individual bags of crackers. I took it all to the individual and he was so happy. It wasn’t that much, but he was thrilled.
As we again, started heading toward the door, he stopped and asked if I prayed. I told him I do. He asked if I would pray for him. (Head slap to myself!!) Why didn’t I offer that to him without his gentle reminder?? So, we stood in the hallway, and I prayed for the man that God’s peace, and hope, and love would surround him on his journey. He thanked me and then asked if he could pray for me. Now that was a first! I don’t think I’ve ever had someone who was asking for help ask if they could pray for me. I told him absolutely and he started praying in his native language. He would pause every so often to explain a word or two or to tell me what he was praying. But he prayed for me!
That was the blessing I almost didn’t receive. As I said, this was the first time in my ministry that someone I was helping asked to and then prayed for me. Here I thought I was the one doing the blessing. But God spoke to the individual in front of me and God spoke to me in the moment, too, saying that I was the one that needed the blessing in the moment. And to think I almost missed it because of my feeling busy and rushed.
You know, this is how God so often works. It’s those who go on the mission trip who often return home feeling they received the greater blessing. It’s those who help lead Sunday School, Love Feast, and other ministries that often say they are the ones who receive the greater blessing. We may not always see the faces of those who benefit from our monthly One Thing or our mission giving, but I often hear how blessed people feel knowing that their donated box of hamburger helper or laundry detergent, etc. will make a difference in someone’s life.
Sometimes as Christians or as a part of the church, we think that we are the one’s always doing the blessing. However, if we’re willing and open, there is often a blessing being given back that we miss. We may not always recognize it or we may just rush by the moments of blessing, but often it is there…if we are willing to receive it. May we always be receptive to the blessing that is offered to us, even when it comes from someone we least expect it from. To the gentleman that was just passing by…Thank you for the prayer and blessing! And thank you for the reminder that God was not only present in the faces of the youth group I shared worship with. God was also present in the face of the one just passing by.
Pastor Keith