Last weekend my husband and I caught a 5 o’clock movie. Since we did not have time to eat beforehand, we went to IHop afterwards for a late dinner. The restaurant was pretty quiet and most of the tables were empty because the “late night” crowd had not yet arrived. A young man at a table on the other side of the restaurant caught my attention. I thought, “He looks familiar…is that Bob?” I could not see very clearly across the restaurant so I grabbed my glasses (no old lady cracks J). When I put them on I noticed that although he looked somewhat similar it was not my friend. However, throughout dinner my attention kept coming back to this young man. I noticed that he was sitting by himself and had all the mannerisms of someone who frequently ate alone. Then I heard in my head, “Why do you think I said the name Bob?” Ok, this got my attention. Experience told me this was God’s voice so I asked, “What are you trying to say Lord?” He just repeated, “Bob” and then I got it. He was trying to tell me that this young man was very similar to my friend in his background, his intellect and most of all the depth of his loneliness. I got up and went to the hostess station and asked for a pen and a piece of paper. I came back to the table and began to write the name of my church, the location, the time we met the next morning and the website address. I then got up and went over to him. Needless to say, he was very surprised when I sat down. I slid the paper across the table and said “This is for you…if you choose to come I will introduce you to twenty kids your age and you will like them…if not then that’s ok too.” He looked over all the information and very skeptically said “ok”.
I believe there are many times when God is trying to get our attention and we brush it off as coincidence or just our imagination. This story is a perfect example of how God talks in intersecting thoughts. Let me explain. I was minding my own business, having dinner with my husband when God highlighted someone in the room. This was my first clue. He then gave me a name. The name of someone I knew to a depth of what his personal struggles were. This was used to give me insight into the person highlighted. Simple. So what do we do with this information? Please know that God is not giving you information for your entertainment or so that you “know” something about someone. He is giving you insights because He wants you to “do” something. That’s where the questions come in; “What about Bob?” “Why are you bringing him to mind?” “Lord, what would you have me do?” Notice in my story I did not go over and tell the young man everything that was revealed about him. That would have been insensitive, not to mention awkward and it was not what I was asked to do. I was simply asked to extend an invitation no more and no less.
To be completely honest, for a split second it crossed my mind I could be rejected in this task. The young man could have said “You are a crazy woman… go away.” Honestly, that has never happened and if it did I would have thought God is just softening his heart. It often takes people several invitations before they actually say yes. It’s not about the results. We are not going to know the impact of half of the things we were asked to do until we get home and see the highlight reel. In the meantime, what a blessing to be a part of what God is doing here and now.
Some things to ponder: Before approaching people check your heart. Love and humility will open doors for people to receive. God will ask you to; uplift, encourage, invite, bring into the fold, love, show compassion or be a friend. He will not ask you to judge, admonish, correct, convict of sin or rub in past hurts. If you are hearing something negative make sure you are sensitive to the information given. I find that when I am given these kinds of insights it is a call for me to pray and intercede in my personal quiet time on their behalf.
