I was in the Ladies Room at the San Francisco Airport when I heard someone ask, “Are you okay?”
A woman in her sixties was sprawled on the floor in a bathroom stall. She’d slipped on a puddle, twisted her knee, and smacked her cheek on the commode.
The person left who asked, “Are you okay?”
So I helped the woman stand up. She was dazed and held her bruised cheek.
“Are you lightheaded? Are you traveling alone?”
“I’m alone,” she whimpered. “And I’m worried about my knee.”
I gave her a wet paper towel for her cheek, and held her arm as she limped to her nearby departure gate. When I told the gate attendant what happened and asked for ice to put on the woman’s cheek, she took immediate action. She filed a report, and sent for a paramedic to look at the woman’s knee.
I walked away, glad I had taken the time to assist her.
While I waited for my plane to depart, I smiled at strangers and exchanged pleasantries.
When I sat down in the plane, the woman next to me talked nonstop about her life including some painful memories. Even the flight attendant talked with us, telling us about her parents who had escaped Phnom Penh, Cambodia in the 1970’s.
As our plane landed in Texas, I thought about the people I’d met that day.
Why was I surprised?
When I’d driven to the airport that morning, I’d prayed for God to give me His eyes and ears. I wanted to be available to people rather than isolate myself in a book. Wasn’t it just like the Lord to answer my prayers beyond my expectations.
What and Who am I missing when I rush through my days in my self-absorbed world?
Who knew there were so many friendly people in the world?
Which made me think of this story:
An old man sat outside the walls of a great city. When travelers approached, they would ask the old man, “What kinds of people live in this city?”
The old man would answer, “What kind of people live in the place where you came from?”
If the travelers answered, “Only bad people live in the place where we came from,” the old man would reply, “Continue on; you will find only bad people here.”
But if the travelers answered, “Good people live in the place where we came from,” then the old man would say, “Enter, for here too, you will find only good people.” ~Author unknown
Share this:
Even In This 
Great reminder of what God expects of us without our asking to see it.
LikeLike
That’s also a good point. We need to behave as God expects us to even though we ,may not see the results.
LikeLike
I often wonder how many opportunities God brings before me, but I’m too busy to notice. I have discovered that I not only need to pray for these opportunities, but also the boldness to respond as He leads.
LikeLike
Thanks for the feedback. I agree boldness is equally necessary. I could have seen the woman who fell and empathised, but never make human contact. Here’s a great quote about prayer…because I can’t say that my expectations line up with the result.
“Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your
prayer.” – Oswald Chambers
LikeLike
This is great, Karen. “Be kind…everyone is going through something.” Especially the grumpiest and rudest among us. Thanks for the reminder to see others through His eyes.
Love you…..
Sent from my iPad
LikeLike
Yes, Terrie, we should find the good in others even when they are grumpy. But on a lighter note, actress Mae West once said, “Love thy neighbor – and if he happens to be tall, debonair and devastating, it will be that much easier.”
LikeLike
Loved this…so like you!!
LikeLike
Thanks for the nice words. I wish I could go into more detail about the people I met. It was surreal!
Felt like I was in the movie Truman where everybody is over the top friendly like some 1950’s television sitcom.
LikeLike
Thanks! A good reminder that we see what we expect to see! Have a great day.
LikeLike
The challenge is finding the good when it’s not apparent.
LikeLike
So so true!
LikeLike
This is a great post, Karen. Thanks for sharing it. I agree that it’s just like the Lord to answer my prayers beyond my expectations!
LikeLike
So why don’t we pray expectantly more often? Confident that God can do more than we can imagine!
LikeLike