daily to-do’s, shattered tiles, and missed opportunities

It was a busy day. You know one of those days where you wake up and your to-do list greets you with endless lines of items that have to be checked off before you can call it a day.

Before I could even get going it seemed that line-item list had already stolen my patience.

After a few cups of coffee, I threw myself into high “get’er done” mode. It was out to the island to check on vacation rentals being occupied that weekend, errands for Hubby as he was out of town, bank, post office, and a quick stop by Walmart all before heading to the opposite side of town to organize a group to go out and serve others on the streets.

Setting out to check off these chores, I was single-minded. Not only did I have my list, but it was organized by the quickest way to get it all done so that I could get to the best part — serving others.

I rounded the corner headed to the post office and there in the middle of the road was a young woman, a bike, and shattered tiles.

I tried hard to make sense of the situation as I kindly slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road to give her room. I inched my way by wondering if she had fallen off her bike and where she was going with those tiles. 

In single-minded fashion, I then sped up to make up for lost time. The post office was in sight.

Nothing was going to slow me down, I had people to serve.

As I pulled into the post office this small whisper nudged my soul, “You should have stopped and helped her.” While it was a quiet voice, it rang loudly in my heart. Go help her the nudge beckoned.

I’m not sure if you get nudges on your soul. But for me when I do, I know it’s the sweet small voice of God trying to get my attention.

I wrapped up my business and headed back to help the woman. As I turned to the corner where I first saw her, all that was left of that moment were broken pieces of shattered tiles stacked ever so neatly on the side of the road. My heart grew sad.

There was that small whisper again, I put people along your path every day if you will only slow down, open your eyes to see and be willing to serve them.

I was so busy getting it done so that I could go serve others, that I totally missed an opportunity to serve the one right before me.

This was not a proud moment of mine. I knew I had missed a moment to help another — to be an encourager. The evidence that I had failed was there — shattered tiles and all. I wondered and hoped that some other soul was living in the moment and actually stopped to help her.

I’m not sure if you struggle with this, but it is hard for me.

I get set on my daily to-do’s and with precision focus I miss everything else going on around me. This is not good. That day reminded me that Jesus did what he did best — serve others — as He was interrupted in his daily business.

Interruptions. Who has time for that?

Apparently Jesus did. You can read countless stories from scripture where Jesus was traveling from one place to another about his Father’s business, when he was interrupted.

He was interrupted by a demon-possessed man, a woman who was hemorrhaging, and a small man in a tree and he always had time to stop. Always!

He was never in a rush and too busy to meet the needs of those right before him in a particular moment.

I long to live like that.

I don’t want to be so focused on where I’m going that I miss opportunities right before me to help and serve others.  I want to seize those very occasions and be like Jesus helping others along my day’s adventures.

Today I’m learning . . .

To slow down.

To be aware of my surroundings and people around me.

To look for opportunities to help another pick up shattered tiles.

To serve others in my everyday ordinary life’s business.

How about you? Are you good at seeing other’s needs while you tackle your daily to-do’s? How have you helped another in an unexpected way lately?