Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 1 Corinthians 9:19

Do you know the difference between last year and this year? Simply…a year! Which doesn’t sound like much… until you were where I was yesterday. My annual trimming and clean up was not going well. The pile to haul away was getting larger as I was running out of steam. I was thinking about how much I still had to do while figuring a way to haul it all off… when I experienced a miricle!

A road separated me from the growing pile of debris. Suddenly, like a vision, a big truck pulling a big trailer crossed that path. It seemed angels were even singing…as the truck passed before my eyes. Planning my time to coincide with the truck’s leaving, I halted its exit with a proposal in mind. Just when I didn’t think it could get any better, I saw there were ‘3’ men inside! Hallelujah! When I pointed to the pile and asked, “how much?” I was given a RIDICULOUSLY LOW price… which I HAD to turn down!

O.K…I know these guys. We have met before. When we got to talking, I found that they new a LOT more about ME than I knew about THEM. Scary huh? Being a preacher as few advantages and the price quote was one of them. But being a preacher ALSO means that I am NOT my own! That pile isn’t mine either. It’s Jesus’ pile. And since Jesus is in the GIVING business, NOT the taking, I made a proposition with a caveat!.

His offer was right up front and so was my counter. I said, “I am going to pay you double that price!” When I saw his eyebrows go up, I felt like I had earned the right to continue talking. So I started talking about… you guessed it… JESUS! Why? Because, as it turned out, these 3 men didn’t know that THEY don’t belong to themselves either! I could tell by their expressions that they were at least beginning to listen!

I find that in many ways, the older I get, the less I can do. I am NOT what I used to be. BUT… in other ways, I am BETTER than I used to be. At my age I have resources and experience to back up my prayers and expectations that God will use me for HIS Glory and Work. I have ALSO learned that God usually shows up, and off, with the unexpected! As they loaded up to leave, I heard the boss say, “Hey guys, now we have lunch money!” All I could think was… good job Jesus!