“What can I do for you today?” That’s a pretty standard greeting when you walk into a shop, especially a quaint little mom and pop store. What do you need, how can I help you, or may I be of service? We may have walked in with something specific on our mind or a shopping list or we may just want to browse for a bit to see what they have to offer. People often come to God or the church in the same way. They may have well thought out questions such as on the day of Pentecost, “What must I do to be saved?” Other times folks aren’t sure, they know they’re looking for something but not sure what it is. We need to be ready for all wanders.
The question, “What can I do for you?” may seem like a strange greeting to someone who has just dropped in to visit but it may get them to thinking. Have you ever done something which you thought was random only to discover there was a purpose after all? Have you stopped to talk to someone, even a perfect stranger, not really knowing why and find that God had a plan for that conversation? We need to make room for God to move in our lives. We need to be willing to start conversations, not knowing where they may lead. We need to take time, and what a precious commodity that is. It is in these moments that God reveals so much, not just the needs of others, but to show us our own needs.
I know that feels scary, to open that door, to invite someone to share their world with you. It might be a world of hurt. They might share needs that would cost us to help meet or they might even disagree with us and challenge our faith or position. The great explorers of old never made a single discovery by staying in the harbor. All those great adventures, all the new lands, all those things which made them famous came as a result of throwing off their moorings and heading out to sea. Your next adventure may begin with a handshake or a simple question, “Can I help you?”
Don
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