Right Square in the Forehead

Luke 16:10 just hit me right square in the forehead. After I had answered a phone call from a guest about the time of our continental breakfast, I was hit with the realization that I need to answer every call the way I just had - with politely and pleasantly.

I remembered what Jesus said, "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."

I've referred to that verse several times in my Bible classes this year, but it didn't strike me the way it did last night.

To be honest, I see my job at the hotel as "a very little thing" - something not all that significant, a means to the end of a paycheck. But if God is to entrust me with more, I need to be faithful in the "very little thing."

I understood that concept before last night, but the Lord brought it to my mind suddenly and made its application very clear.

May I be faithful in the "very little thing" and trust God for the "much."

A very bad, terrible, horrible day

That's what yesterday was. I dealt with a loud, hostile, and verbally abusive man for nearly 45 minutes at the hotel. He was not a guest and I had to call the police to have him removed. To top the night off, my truck was broken into sometime during the night. I spent the whole day getting it taken care of and missing a day of school in the process.

The past 15 months have been hard - very hard. Right now, God's providence is mainly dark, but there are several bright rays of light - school, a marriage that's still intact and good, friends, and a good church.

Life is hard and God is good. They're both true, but the second one seems hard to see sometimes (in all honesty). Although I don't believe it's true, I understand how some may think that difficult times are a punishment from God.

Faithfulness to God is required of us, but it's never easy. Pray for us.

Lingering

How can we build deep relationships with one another if we're fixated on a "microwave" lifestyle? It's extremely hard if not impossible. But we can take steps in that direction, writes Shawn Young. Her article "The Lost Art of Lingering" is well worth a few minutes to read and get us thinking. You can read it here.