I Was Challenged

"¹³Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." ¹⁴Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." ¹⁶As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

James 4:13-17

Tonight didn't go the way I had hoped. I was anticipating all day the work that I was going to do with Eric. You see, we decided at lunch that we would do a video project with him sometime that evening. That was something we had both been wanting to do all semester. Instead, I didn't even leave the dining commons until 8:10 p.m. (just crazy, isn't it?)! We never got around to shooting that video until around midnight-thirty or so. It was late and we were standing outside of the union talking about stuff. All of a sudden, a man came up to us and asked us if either of us had a car. Eric said "no, I don't have a car - sorry." Here I was standing with keys visibly in my hands as I am leaning against my car... The verse James 4:13-17 was burning on my heart as I stood there. He explained his situation about how he was stranded and had been walking for miles in the cold (30 degrees Farenheit). The next thing I know, I'm asking "Eric, do you want to come along?" The man needed a ride to a place a couple miles out of town. This was not something I was comfortable with. I sat there thinking - I know what God wants me to do. If he wants me to survive, then I will. I could have easily been robbed, been forced to drive with a knife to my neck, but no - this was one of those times where I was uneasy but safe. I had exactly the same feelings and emotions as I have when I give blood. I hate needles, but giving blood is totally worth it. I spend a long time afraid of the needle - not thinking things will go wrong, but just anticipating the prick of pain if it hurt. This was similar - I wasn't afraid to die, but I would be afraid of getting injured just because it made me uneasy. He got home safely, offered a couple dollars for the gas and the trouble...I didn't take it. We shook hands - that was the greatest part. I certainly don't talk about this on the Internet because I want to brag to the world about how nice I am - to an extent I helped the guy because I would feel guilty for not doing it. I do want to show everyone that God knows how to protect us and that it's ok to have faith and do some crazy things for Him and know that God will be there to help you. This is the third time that I've given a ride to a complete stranger like this. It was worth it. What can you do for someone today?