Tonight I got a random voicemail. It was from a guy who I used to work with at Coca-cola. To catch you up to speed, I used to work quality control at the lab at Coke. It was great and I had the opportunity to meet some great people. But I only worked there for three months. I knew I wasn't there longterm, but that God had a reason for me to be there. I don't think it was to make Coca-cola better. I think I was there to talk about God, so I just followed my heart and looked for opportunities to talk to people. No, I didn't hand out tracts, or stand on the coke cart professing my faith. I just listened to people as they talked about their lives. Most people just want an ear to listen and God gave me two, so I used both of them. But I also looked for ways to point them to the God I serve.
Fast forward to tonight. I get a phone call from this guy who shall remain nameless. I haven't talked to him since I left coke 8 months ago. He says that he wanted to wish me a belated happy birthday and that he wanted to thank me. But on the voicemail, he doesn't say what he's thanking me for. So I sit there for a second, praying about if I should call or not. I don't call boys, but for some reason, I felt like I needed to this time. So I call him back. He wishes me happy birthday and then said he just wanted to thank me for believing in him. I said, Huh? And he says, "One time we were talking and you asked me why I had stayed at coke for so long. I was too scared to try to find anything else. But you asking me about it made me think that I could find something better with a little faith. And so I started looking around for another job. And I got one, so I start on Monday. I just wanted to thank you for encouraging me. You made a difference." So then I told him that I thought God had brought me to coke to meet everyone there at the plant. He told me that he thought God had brought me to coke for him. To encourage him to find a better life out there. Who knows? I might have been there for him. I think the lesson in all of this for me tonight is that everything I do or say has an effect. And that God can take a comment that I make and turn it into exactly what that person needs to hear.
Encouragers need some encouraging sometime too and I'm thankful He gave that to me tonight. God is so surprising and I love when He does that.
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2 comments:
That is very cool. You are definitely an encourager, too, but I'm glad you getting times to be encouraged instead of it all being one way (because that can get pretty draining).
It does get draining at times, but I really would not trade the opportunity to build people up for anything. And usually right when I get to the breaking point, God sends me a hug in some form or fashion. He's really good at taking care of me.
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