One of the lessons preachers have to learn is that God often tests us on what we teach others. Sadly, we don't always pass those tests!
On Sunday 27th November 2011 I took the subject of divine guidance as the theme for a meeting at Theddingworth Congregational Church. It was a precious time of fellowship and we explored the subject in several ways.
We sang hymns and songs on the theme.
We shared in a dramatised and fun version of the time Gideon used a fleece to explore God's guidance.
We shared some of our own experiences of guidance.
We discussed why, when and how God guides us
And we did a quick Bible study of the story of Philip and the Ethiopian official.
When discussing why, when and how God guides we reflected that sometimes God intervenes and guides us when there is something he wants us to do for him. As to how God guides we covered a lot of ground and concluded that God speaks in many ways to us.
The following day I travelled by train to London for a meeting. Before leaving I put £30 in my wallet for emergencies and I had a few coins in my pocket. On arrival I had just a few minutes to get something to eat so I visited Macdonalds near St Pancras Station and bought a cheeseburger using one of the £5 notes.
After the meeting I made my way back to St Pancras Station and was walking briskly along the upper concourse and caught up with a man using his mobile phone. "Hi" he said to the person on the other end and then went on to ask if he could possibly lend him £25 as he was short of cash and needed to get to Sheffield to visit his mother who had been taken ill. From the part of the conversation I was able to hear it sounded as if his enquiry was unfruitful.
Now the £25 in my wallet seemed a trifle heavy. But was this genuine or was I being conned? I checked out my own train time and then discreetly looked for the man. The area was crowded but I found him alone, looking worried and toying with his mobile phone. I prayed and watched him some more. He seemed genuine. After a few minutes I approached him and asked him outright if he lived locally and if so where. He seemed surprised but gave me the information I sought. I then told him that if he had anything on him with his address I would give him £25. Now he looked shocked.
He immediately produced a business card which I exchanged for one of mine and the £25 that emptied my wallet. He immediately emailed me a receipt from his mobile and I noticed a few minutes later that I had received the email. I now had his address, mobile phone number and email address. It looked genuine.
Seeing from my card that I was ordained he said he thought all reverends wore dog collars, so I put him right on that. My train was about to depart so I wished him well and left him on the concourse.
I can't afford to give away £25 but I had to make a decision as to whether overhearing that conversation was guidance from God who wanted me to share with this man what was not really mine - but his.
What do you think? Was it a con? Was he genuine? Today I will email Chris (his name) and ask after his mother. Whether he managed to get enough money to get to Sheffield I don't know. I had thought of the £25 as a loan but afterwards decided I should think of it as a gift.
No doubt you know the story of the Good Samaritan (No, I know I'm not in the same league!). Have you ever noticed that Jesus speaks of those that came across the man who had fallen among thieves as being there 'by chance'? Yet the implication is that the priest and the Levite should have acted compassionately. Have you ever reflected on all that the Samaritan did? He put himself at risk, he took on a responsibility voluntarily. He probably stayed up much of the night with them man he helped. He gave the landlord enough money for the man to stay two months and on top of that offered to pay any extra costs! Obviously, Jesus was using exaggeration to make the point.
I remember a simple Sunday School lesson on this story in which the man who fell among thieves thought "What's mine is mine and I'm going to keep it". The thieves thought, "What's yours is mine and I'm going to take it". But the Samaritan thought, "What's mine is really God's and he would want me to share it with you".
I guess that God will not mind if I gave away £25 of his resources if I was being conned. On the other hand I wonder if God is also speaking to a London glass blower who had fallen on hard times and found himself in a crisis. Sometimes it is better to act on how we believe God is guiding us, risking getting it wrong, rather than passing by on the other side.
On Sunday 27th November 2011 I took the subject of divine guidance as the theme for a meeting at Theddingworth Congregational Church. It was a precious time of fellowship and we explored the subject in several ways.
We sang hymns and songs on the theme.
We shared in a dramatised and fun version of the time Gideon used a fleece to explore God's guidance.
We shared some of our own experiences of guidance.
We discussed why, when and how God guides us
And we did a quick Bible study of the story of Philip and the Ethiopian official.
When discussing why, when and how God guides we reflected that sometimes God intervenes and guides us when there is something he wants us to do for him. As to how God guides we covered a lot of ground and concluded that God speaks in many ways to us.
The following day I travelled by train to London for a meeting. Before leaving I put £30 in my wallet for emergencies and I had a few coins in my pocket. On arrival I had just a few minutes to get something to eat so I visited Macdonalds near St Pancras Station and bought a cheeseburger using one of the £5 notes.
After the meeting I made my way back to St Pancras Station and was walking briskly along the upper concourse and caught up with a man using his mobile phone. "Hi" he said to the person on the other end and then went on to ask if he could possibly lend him £25 as he was short of cash and needed to get to Sheffield to visit his mother who had been taken ill. From the part of the conversation I was able to hear it sounded as if his enquiry was unfruitful.
Now the £25 in my wallet seemed a trifle heavy. But was this genuine or was I being conned? I checked out my own train time and then discreetly looked for the man. The area was crowded but I found him alone, looking worried and toying with his mobile phone. I prayed and watched him some more. He seemed genuine. After a few minutes I approached him and asked him outright if he lived locally and if so where. He seemed surprised but gave me the information I sought. I then told him that if he had anything on him with his address I would give him £25. Now he looked shocked.
He immediately produced a business card which I exchanged for one of mine and the £25 that emptied my wallet. He immediately emailed me a receipt from his mobile and I noticed a few minutes later that I had received the email. I now had his address, mobile phone number and email address. It looked genuine.
Seeing from my card that I was ordained he said he thought all reverends wore dog collars, so I put him right on that. My train was about to depart so I wished him well and left him on the concourse.
I can't afford to give away £25 but I had to make a decision as to whether overhearing that conversation was guidance from God who wanted me to share with this man what was not really mine - but his.
What do you think? Was it a con? Was he genuine? Today I will email Chris (his name) and ask after his mother. Whether he managed to get enough money to get to Sheffield I don't know. I had thought of the £25 as a loan but afterwards decided I should think of it as a gift.
No doubt you know the story of the Good Samaritan (No, I know I'm not in the same league!). Have you ever noticed that Jesus speaks of those that came across the man who had fallen among thieves as being there 'by chance'? Yet the implication is that the priest and the Levite should have acted compassionately. Have you ever reflected on all that the Samaritan did? He put himself at risk, he took on a responsibility voluntarily. He probably stayed up much of the night with them man he helped. He gave the landlord enough money for the man to stay two months and on top of that offered to pay any extra costs! Obviously, Jesus was using exaggeration to make the point.
I remember a simple Sunday School lesson on this story in which the man who fell among thieves thought "What's mine is mine and I'm going to keep it". The thieves thought, "What's yours is mine and I'm going to take it". But the Samaritan thought, "What's mine is really God's and he would want me to share it with you".
I guess that God will not mind if I gave away £25 of his resources if I was being conned. On the other hand I wonder if God is also speaking to a London glass blower who had fallen on hard times and found himself in a crisis. Sometimes it is better to act on how we believe God is guiding us, risking getting it wrong, rather than passing by on the other side.
