You Might Be an Answer to Prayer

Photo credit:  Free-images.com

My husband and I were browsing the gift shop in the beautiful Hocking Hills State Park Lodge that sunny afternoon when a young man approached Ted and said, “Excuse me, sir. Do you know how to tie a tie?” He looked to be in his early 20s, wearing a dark suit and crisp white shirt. Ted said, “Sure, let me have it.” He put it around his own neck and tied it while the young man watched intently. As Ted pulled the tie up over his head and handed it back he asked, “Are you going for a job interview?” The guy answered, “No, I’m getting married downstairs!” With a quick “Thank you!” he turned and hurried toward the staircase.

I can’t imagine being so laid-back that you don’t worry about a detail like knowing how to tie a tie for your own wedding. Maybe this young man had prayed with confidence that he would run into someone who could tie it for him. Maybe he was so trusting of God and his fellow man that he knew he’d find someone who would help him out when the time came. If that’s the case, then Ted was the answer to his prayers. 

Another time, I was driving home at night and there was a detour because of construction. GPS technology was new and still not very reliable. Praying I wouldn’t get lost, I stopped at a gas station to confirm what the GPS was telling me. The woman working behind the counter reassured me I was on the right route, saying, “I lived in Akron. I go that way all the time.” When I thanked her she added, “I wasn’t supposed to work tonight but I filled in for someone else.” She was in the right place at the right time to help me.

Think back to a time when you found yourself in a situation to help a stranger, even in a small way. Maybe you held the door open for a mom pushing a stroller. Maybe you invited the new coworker to join you for lunch. No matter what the circumstances, when you helped a stranger you were doing the work of our Lord. Maybe the mom had left the house knowing that getting the stroller through the doorway would be difficult, and prayed that someone would hold the door for her. Maybe the new employee decided not to worry about being alone at lunchtime and trusted that he’d know what to do when the time came. Maybe people every day wonder how they’ll handle a particular challenge, and pray that God will help them find a way.

When you’re in the right place at the right time to help a stranger, you could be the answer to their prayers.

“Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers and sisters, especially for strangers.” – 3 John 5

“Lord, guide me to serve You in the strangers I meet.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

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