When an Interruption Comes, It is an Opportunity

Every time I read the Good Samaritan story (Luke 10:29-37), Jesus, the Lord, the Master of Storyteller, never fail to gives new lessons over and over again. Today I learned that: an interruption, no matter how uninviting it is, maybe a divine appointment from the Lord.

The story is basically about a Samaritan who made his way down to Jericho and encountered a wounded Jew lying alongside the road [Here I need to remind you that during the New Testament times; the Jews hates the Samaritan]. Others had hurried by, too busy with their own affairs to be interrupted even for a moment… even for a wounded brother. But surprisingly, the Samaritan, who was hated by the Jews and would be expected to pass by like others, was “felt compassion”. He “soothed his wounds… bandaged them… put the man on his own donkey… took him to an inn… took care of him.” (Luke 10:33-34NLT)

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God’s divine appointment comes to us in strange ways, often in the form of interruptions. What a surprise! Just when we think our duties are done for the day, when the office hours is finished, when we’ve settled in for a quiet and peaceful evening at home or at our favorite place – someone for example, calls on the telephone or shows up on our doorstep or a sudden rush at our present asking for our time… precious time. “Are you busy?” they ask. What you gonna do?

The best thing to do is to stop looking at these ‘annoying moments’ as interruptions. Instead, we should (learn to) take them as opportunities that God is sending us to serve those in need. Maybe to listen to them, to show love, to help them on their journey in relationship with God etc. – no matter how uninviting it is, an interruptions maybe a divine appointment from the Lord.

Love is not only word to say, it is the duty that we should translate into actions. The Samaritan ‘when he saw the man [the wounded Jews], he felt compassion for him”. He was interrupted along his way (probably busy too!), but instead of passed by, hurried by his own affairs – he stop to take the opportunity to show God’s love toward this wounded brother. May we are prompted to do the same. May we learn this lesson well.

Lord, if I’m feeling rushed today,

I need your eyes to help me see,

That when an interruption comes,

It is an opportunity.

(Unknown) 

THINK BIG. What would Jesus do?

START SMALL. By Start seeing interruptions as God’s divine appointments
GO DEEP.  The more you want to show God’s love toward others, the more God’s love shows in your life.