The rattle of the fence woke him up from his slumber. No sooner had he fallen asleep than he was jarringly awakened. This was a good day. The first day of vacation. Up until recently he wasn’t sure if he would have the opportunity to make the trip. But now, he was here. He and his wife finally got away, and he was finally able to rest. At least that’s what he thought up until now.
The brisk pace alarmed him, and he sat upon the couch. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but something told him he wasn’t going back to his nap.
When she came into the room, her face was long and her eyes sad. She quickly sat down, put her hands in her face, and began to cry. He was tired, but he knew that she needed him. He swallowed his selfishness, reached his hand over, and gently rubbed her shoulder.
“Is everything ok?”
She thought to herself, “Is everything ok?” “No!” she muttered back.
“Tell me what’s going on,” he said.
“My mother is in the hospital again, and the doctors said she won’t live beyond this weekend.”
“Oh honey, I’m so sorry,” he said.
“This is the fourth time she has been rushed to the ER, and I feel like we need to be there this time. My brother can’t keep going,” she said.
“Of course,” he said, “…we will go.”
“We will go,” he thought to himself. “This was our time. This was when we were supposed to be alone…to “catch up”, and to enjoy ourselves,” he quietly pondered as she began to pack their bags.
He remembered how kind her mother was. He remembered her caring for them so many times. He knew this was the right thing to do, and he was determined to do it the right way.
The bags were packed. She looked over at him, smiled, and thanked him.
He knew his family was more important than his vacation…than his time off…than anything pressing. He knew, and he was glad to be heading home to meet a need.
What are the lessons for us today?
- Life presents us with unforeseen challenges…
- To engage in this life means surprises are encountered.
- Surprises can be challenging, but they don’t have to be derailing.
- Thus, when we are surprised by the challenges of life we have the opportunity of rising to the occasion instead of letting the occasion rise above our heads sinking us into discouragement, disappointment, and loss of hope.
- Life’s challenges require responsibility, stewardship, and biblical wisdom…
- Responsibility is the willful decision to own one’s actions and set oneself in the direction of completing whatever is necessary, whatever is one’s duty, and whatever is one’s commitment.
- Stewardship is the appropriate management and care given to something or someone.
- Biblical wisdom is the application and carrying out of responsibility and stewardship unto the glory of God and the service of others.
May we be people who respond to life’s challenges and surprises with responsibility, stewardship, and biblical wisdom. Amen and amen.
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4
— June 17, 2021