Today I had to run to catch the bus on the way home. Not because I was late, but because the connection didn’t synchronize exactly. So I ran to try catch a bus at a stop about 1/4 of a mile away that would get me home without having to wait another 20-30 minutes for a connection where I was. The thing is, I still couldn’t make it to that bus stop in time despite my swift strides in the freezing cold. But the bus driver noticed me running and when he saw me throw my arms down in defeat, as I acknowledged I lost the race to beat the bus to the stop, he pulled over for me. There’s no doubt in my mind that God whispered to him to pull over for me.
While it is not unusual for a bus driver to be so courteous, I have seen drivers ignore would-be stranded passengers. Although they would be only stranded till the next bus comes along, sometimes that wait can be as long as an hour. In the freezing cold, that is not fun. So, I’d like to think he was listening to God, whether knowingly or not, he was tuned in and heard God’s message. And I thank God for nudging him.
How often do we hear that intimate voice of the Holy Spirit, of Christ, and ignore him. I’m guilty. Sometimes I feel like I just don’t have time to listen to the instruction given, not realizing that what little inconvenience I may have by acting on it may actually be a tremendous help to whomever God is asking me to help. Other times I think to myself, “What can my actions possibly do to make a difference here?” Of course we never see the big picture. We don’t see the ripple effect of our actions. We only see the here and now. Occasionally God will have someone circle back into our lives to let us know the impact we made. And those time are usually very humbling, because we couldn’t see the big picture at that time.
Anyway, because the bus driver stopped for me, he got me home a little earlier than I would have arrived otherwise which has given me even only a few extra minutes with my family. But I am thankful for those few extra minutes because time is quite a valuable commodity these days.
Will you listen next time and possibly help someone else with a need they may have, no matter the inconvenience to you and no matter how trivial the message may sound – like letting someone get in front of you in rush hour traffic? It could give someone else a few extra minutes with their family.
