from Ron Rose
January 28, 2008

Preparation

On more than one occasion, God has given just the right words to my buddy, Bob. He will do the same for us if we will learn to listen first, to listen beyond the words… to listen before we say a thing.

Just before the elevator doors closed, Bob stepped in. “How you doing?” He greeted the stranger standing, head down in the corner.

“Fine,” was the response.

Something about the downcast eyes and the tone of the voice, grabbed Bob’s attention. As the door was closing Bob reacted, “I don’t believe you. I think you’re lying to me.”

Once the door closed the shocked stranger responded, “Well, actually this is the worse day of my life.”

“I’m going to pray for you right now,” Bob said. Grabbing the stranger’s hand Bob prayed until the door finally opened on the lobby floor (I’m sure the people waiting to go up were a little shocked to see the doors open and find two men holding hands… praying).

As they walked to the parking lot, the stranger asked, “Are you an angel?”

“No, I’m just Bob.”

Bob is gifted. He has learned to listen beyond the words and wait for God to give him just the right words at just the right time. God will do that for you too.

Inspiration

It was 12:30 AM Monday morning and Ken’s phone startled him awake. Calls this time of night always meant trouble. “Hello…” Ken answered.

“This is Sarah. I’m on the Golden Gate Bridge and I’m going to jump tonight.”

”Well why did you wake me up to tell me that? You and I both know you can kill yourself any time you choose and neither God nor I can stop you if you decide to die, ” Ken responded.

“But, I know you are not on the bridge, Sarah. Are you in your apartment?”

“How did you know that?”

“I can’t hear the wind. There are no sounds in the background. There is always wind on the bridge. Don’t we have a lunch appointment scheduled for Friday? What kind of sandwich do you want?”

“What did you say?” she asked.

“Sarah, can you wait till Friday to die?” …and what kind of sandwich would you like me to order?

“What are you trying to do?

“I’m trying to find out if you can wait till Friday to die. We can have one last meal together. Now I’d like you to make that decision.”

“Oh, I’ll have tuna fish.”

“Fine, I'll see you Friday,” and Ken hung up.

Ken has invested his life in listening beyond the words and on more than one occasion, God has given him just right words. That night he had the just the right words for Sarah.

Motivation

Ask God to help you learn to listen. You have one mouth and two ears; use them in that proportion. Listen twice as much as you speak. Listen for pain, for hesitation, for confusion, for loneliness. If you miss the hidden message the first time, use these words… “Say again…?”

Oh and there is a follow up on Bob…three weeks after Bob’s elevator confrontation, he was in the same building and elevator stranger was there again. This time the man ran up, hugged Bob and told of how his life had turned completely around.

“I want to thank you for what you said in that elevator a while back,” he said.

Bob replied, “Don’t thank me. It was a God thing.”