He stood on the side of the road in front of his car. The hood was open and his hands were out-stretched holding jumper cables desperate for someone – anyone – to stop and help…
I’m speeding north on Normandie Ave. and late already to a CPR class after dropping my kids off at a friend’s house.

A sermon illustration came to mind from a few weeks prior: The speaker was in a hurry to pick up his children when a guy was looking for help to jumpstart his car. “It will only take a minute,” the guy said. The speaker thought about his kids…how he was running behind…yet he helped the guy anyway – and it only took a minute!

In my rearview mirror, the man with the dead battery got smaller and smaller.

Then I remembered something else: A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

I hung a U-turn. Hooked up the cables and the car started. The way of salvation was shared as the gentleman nodded in agreement. Prayer. Laughter. A sinner repenteth!

Didn’t happen.

The CPR instruction began at 8:30, it was 8:36 and I had six more miles to drive. This was very important, God would certainly understand. I kept looking in the mirror; silently hoping another person would see the waving little speck in the distance.

Skidding into the parking lot, I shut off the car and made it… fifteen minutes late! After signing in, I sat down and breathed a great sigh of relief. The instructor then said that my class didn’t start until 9:30!

A few hours later, I paid penance by helping an over-worked Starbucks barrista carry out two trash bags.

God understood all too well.

*****

Did I let God down? Have you ever missed a “Golden Opportunity” because you traded it for selfishness?

*****