Musings of a Prodigal Son - Missing the Mark

While riding my bicycle this past Saturday, I had one of those "take a look at your life" moments. You know the kind I am talking about? You know the ones where you say, "I really need to take a long look at my life, I really missed that."

I had ridden almost 20 miles on a bike trail that cuts across our county. As I went past a point I had passed before, there were two young men sitting beside the trail with a brochure holder full of pamphlets and brochures. Many of you may have seen these stands in large cities at the corners where people are advertising or selling some product. These two boys happened to be a part of a religious organization that is known for going door to door "witnessing" to their beliefs. As I was approaching them on the trail, I remember thinking to myself, "I hope they don't say anything to me or try to get me to stop." That was all I thought. As I passed and they made no move to engage me in conversation, I remember feeling relieved and I moved on down the trail, forgetting about this encounter. On my return trip approximately 1 hour later, I happened by this same spot. I noticed that there were two bikes parked on the edge of the trail and a middle-age woman was introducing herself to the two young men as I passed. As I got even with the group I heard her begin to pray with them and for them while the man with her stood with his head bowed. Immediately, I was made aware that I had the wrong focus altogether. While I was worried about "me" and my morning ride, this man and woman on the trail had been willing to "let go" of their agenda to put others ahead of themselves (in this case these two young men) with a focus on the eternal instead of the temporal. Those two young men needed to hear the truth in love. I was convicted of this as I continue to ride along the trail. 

After I had passed these two young men earlier, I had not given it a second thought. Immediately the question came to my mind, "How many times have I been so busy with my own agenda that I have neglected those times when God has presented an opportunity for me to make a difference in someone else's life?"

I really missed it.

Father, forgive me for being so focused on me that I failed to see the needs of others. Please forgive me for those times of which I am aware and also for those times that I have been totally unaware of the needs of others and the prompting of your Holy Spirit because I have had the wrong focus.