A while back, I was in a medical lab where I came across an elderly couple with a problem. I quietly listened as they spoke Cantonese to each other about their lack of English skills. They tried to use their telephone as a translator but it wasn’t working well. I knew it would appear strange for me to jump into the mix with me speaking Chinese but, in I stepped! Well, I can simply say that I have two new friends at this point.
Sometimes things don’t go as we have planned. What we think of as a simple trip to an office can become an opportunity to build new understandings and friends. By the time we had managed this couple’s problems in that medical lab, they were asking about my church, what the meaning of “Baptist” was, and other questions related to the Christian faith. I had gone into that office with a book and a plan to read while waiting for the processing required to get my own needs met. However, God had something different in mind as I was privileged to watch His actions bring about a totally different focus for the time there. Had I held strong to my original intention for the morning, I would have missed the blessing intended for those moments with this couple.
Life is more than winning or losing in issues and debates. It is more than worrying about what is convenient for us or what may be seen as unusual/improper to others. Christ modeled a boldness, when dealing with people, that was beyond what most people would see as normal. He was open, free, honest, burdened, clear, loving, firm, and many other things as he focused His life towards the needs of people. Each day, opportunities come our way to impact others around us but how we respond is up to us.
有一次我在加拿大一医疗检验室遇到一对老年夫妇， 他们遇到了问题。 我静静地听他们用广东话说他们的英文不够用。他们试着用手机翻译， 但显然不够。 我知道我用广东话插入帮忙是很奇怪的， 但是我还是加入了！ 可以说从那时起，我交了两位新朋友。
有时，事情会出乎预期的。 一个简单的医疗室检查可以变成交新朋友及了解他们的机会。 在我们解决他们医疗检验室困难后，他们开始询问我教会，什么是浸信会及其他基督教相关问题。 我之前带着一本书进检验室，预备候医时看。 然而上帝有祂不同的想法，而我有幸看到祂在那时那地的焦点。如果我坚持那早上我的原来计划，我就会错过那对夫妇在那时的祝福。
生活不是只在各样事上的输赢。 它永远超过担心什么对我们是方便的，或什么对别人看似不平常、不适合的。 对人，基督以祂的胆识做我们的榜样，祂跨越大多数人认为是正常的。 祂开放、自由、真诚、有担负、清楚、有爱心、确实等等，祂生命的焦点在于人的需要。 每天都有各种影响我们周遭人的机会，是由我们决定我们要如何应对。