Lessons in Construction Part Four – Angels Unaware

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angels, angels unaware, Christian encouragement, christian journey, encouragement, entertaining angels, Jesus girl, kentucky backroads, learning as you go, lessons on the job, lessons on the way, marriage, on the way, road trip

Several weeks ago my husband and I were driving down a rural road in central Kentucky on our way to a jobsite when we happened upon a large work truck across both lanes of the road stuck in a ditch. The driver had a stone wall behind him so he couldn’t back up to get a running start and frankly, he was in a mess. I was perturbed that it was putting us behind schedule, but I quickly realized God had put us here for this poor young man to get help.

Mark talked with him a minute and they both got to work pulling him out of the ditch. I immediately thought of how the Word of God talks about helping others, entertaining angels unaware, etc. and I was so grateful that Mark was able to show this man Jesus in action.

Sure enough, within a few minutes the truck was out of the ditch and on it’s way.

Great story, huh?

This is where I need to pause and tell you what was really going on.

The day before my man and I had literally had the worst day ever. Meaning…it was a really rough day to be married to me.

To start our day off right, we had a really weird incident in our driveway that was spot on to a horrible dream I had had several weeks before. It was really freaky. Exactly like my dream and literally terrified me.

That same day we were headed to a jobsite that had had many delays and this was the last piece to get it finished up.

The piece that needed finishing up was a part of the project I had never been around, never wanted to be around and knew absolutely nothing about. To say that I was uncomfortable with it would be an understatement. Anyway… it was a BAD day. So bad that at the end of the night, Mark asked, “Are we okay?”

Yep, it was an awful day.

Back to the day of the stuck truck…

After Mark helped the young man and we were back on our way to the jobsite, I noticed my whole outlook had changed. The burden I wasn’t able to shake that morning was lifted, I was energized again and truly ready to get on with life. Yesterday had been a bad day, but that was done. Today was today. I was so grateful that God had sent us to be someone’s angel. I remembered people saying that when you are in a bad mood, or are feeling ungrateful to get out and serve someone else. It was supposed to bless you more than the person you helped. I thought, “That’s right. Helping someone really does help lift your spirits. Being someone’s angel is so amazing!”

And then it hit me…

Mark and I were not his angel.

He was mine.

God didn’t send us to help him. He sent him to help us.

The kindness of God knew my struggle. He knew the enemy planned evil for my day, but His gracious, consuming fire burned up the enemy’s plan through a truck in a ditch in the middle of nowhere. Only God can orchestrate such a thing. Only God.

Lesson Four from a trip to a construction site… helping someone get out of a ditch may just get you out of your own.

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Lessons in Construction Part 3

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christian walk, construction, empty nester, encouragement, expectations, managing expectations, measuring, working with your husband

The last few weeks I’ve been talking about lessons I’m learning while working with my husband. In my last post, I referenced measuring https://tinyurl.com/2tpfmru2 which led me to this week’s contemplation.

When Mark and I were checking and re-checking all of the posts on our first official job together (and many others since then), I discovered that we have to trust the other person’s reading of the tool. Whether it’s a basic level, a measuring tape, or a laser level the person holding the object in place has to trust the other to read the instrument correctly.

That thought led to the understanding that if the person with the knowledge has never shared how to read said instrument, the expectation that the inexperienced person should “just know” how to see things clearly and correctly should not be placed upon them. Can I get a witness?!

Now, just to be clear, Mark and I have not run into this issue with measuring, but we have with other tasks… thoughts for another day…but, while we were setting those posts so many weeks ago I couldn’t help but think along these lines. It led me to ask the question, “Have I taught those coming after me how to read the measuring tape?”

Have I encouraged those around me to read the “level” of God’s Word?

Have I reminded those around me to check and re-check their life with Scripture? Or, have I just expected them to figure it out on their own?

Have I sat back in judgment of someone else’s crooked post, if you will, when I haven’t even given them a measuring tape?

In the past, I have become so angry at adults around me who expected me to “just know” how things were supposed to be done instead of verbally (and by example) showing me the way. I have to ask myself if I have become that same kind of adult.

Titus 2:1-8 says, “But you must say the things that are consistent with sound teaching. Older men are to be level headed, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance. In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to teach what is good, so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands, so that God’s message will not be slandered. In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled  in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.”

Does this verse sound like you? Have you been faithful to lead and encourage? Or, do you expect those around you to “just know”?

Lesson Three on the construction site … don’t just expect, teach.