Three encounters on Monday proved to me, once again, that my life is not my own. Frankly, your life is not your own. We are to be servants. Sometimes it requires a jolt of pure opportunity and force to rip us from our comfort zones. Sometimes it takes three jolts. God sets up opportunities.

One.
A lady politely interrupts me at a local coffee shop. I’m working on something inconsequential, like organizing my computer desktop and freeing some extra space. Yeah. Sounds nerdy. Exactly. So she interrupts me. She is incredibly nice and apologetic. She can’t seem to get internet service on her computer. She asks me if I can help. Yes. I can. We try to connect. We try everything. We both grow frustrated with the process. I eventually let her use my computer as she says she only needs it for a moment.

Why did she need to get online? Well, she is a real estate agent helping those who couldn’t previously afford housing, buy foreclosed homes. She is serving others. She simply was on the road and wanted to check and see if a little old couple was able to get the house that would change their lives.

Two.
While cutting the grass that afternoon, an older gentlemen pulled his car into my driveway. He hopped out, slowly. I was busy. He walked up and asked if I knew where the old school was located. He explained that he had lived out here in this section of the county a long time ago. He went to an old elementary school nearby in the 1930s. He had moved away, but moved back when his wife passed away. He explained that sometimes he just gets nostalgic and wants to drive out here and see how things have changed over the years. He smiled. He wanted directions, but he probably wanted the conversation more. We talked for a few minutes, I gave him directions, and he drove off. Strange how people pop in and out of your life.

Three.
I kept looking for others that God might bring my way to serve. Turns out that my wife had a long, strenuous day and was dying to smile and laugh. We spent the night on a date. Talking about our lives. Wondering what was next. Talking about all the things about the present and future that excite us. She needed that. She didn’t need me to be anyone but myself. Her husband.

These sound simple, but I think it means the world to someone when you push aside your whole world for them. Serve someone. Take the opportunities that God sets up.

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