Interruptions or Assignments?
It was the longest. day. ever.
Work started early. I should not have picked up the cell phone from my nightstand first thing in the morning. All the emails caused a rush of anxiety to come over my spirit.
I quickly got up, showered, ate my toast in the car, and rushed into the office. From there, the day’s pace only got faster. The day was filled with all kinds of tasks. I barely even had time to acknowledge the people who crossed my path.
My cell phone was ringing. When I saw who it was, I thought, “I just do not have time to deal with this person today. I can’t let this call interrupt my day.”
I wonder how many carbon copies of this day I have lived in my life. I wonder how many missed opportunities I have had to truly minister to another person because I perceived them as an interruption to my day rather than a potential assignment sent from God.
We like to throw all kinds of shade on the Priest and the Levite in the parable Jesus taught in Luke 10. These are the two religious leaders who veered to the other side of the road when they came upon the man who was robbed, beaten, and left on the side of the road that led to Jericho.
These two men were likely on their way to the next religious meeting or church service – they were “good people”. They were also busy people who couldn’t be bothered with an interruption. How could they be expected to stop and “help someone” when they were likely on their way to teach in the synagogue or to do some other priestly duties? They just could not be bothered.
Same.
We often get so caught up in our daily duties and routines, even good, godly, activities, that we overlook the assignment that God has put squarely in front of us.
We scarcely hear the words, much less, the intent behind the words, of the person who unexpectedly pops in to talk to us. We miss subtle cues from our friends, children, or even people in the grocery store who are in desperate need of a kind word. Our to-do list takes priority over people.
It could be as simple as slowing down in the workplace and truly listening to a co-worker who wants to share something on their heart. Maybe it is taking the phone call from a relative that you would normally let go to voicemail. Or it might be squatting down to get eye-level with that sweet child who has said “Mommy” or “Daddy” 10,000 times.
Demonstrations of compassion to another person define us as a neighbor according to Jesus in Luke 10:36-37. The “good Samaritan” who came along and took time to bind up the wounds and take care of the wounded man was deemed as the one who is the true neighbor – not the very religious priest or Levite. Samaritans were often looked down upon by Jews because they were not full-blooded Jews. But here was Jesus holding a Samaritan up as a model of a good neighbor.
I am not saying we have to take EVERY phone call or meet the need of EVERY person. Not every assignment is our assignment. We definitely need healthy boundaries with people. But we also need to be listening intently to God so we can discern our assignments from Him. You may not be able to see external wounds in people, but your simple kindness may be the healing balm they need to heal the hidden internal hurts.
