On Answers… Again

The preparations of the heart in man,
and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Proverbs 16:1

Yesterday I met a black man named Eric. He was pulled over on the side of the road with his hood up and clearly having vehicle difficulties. I’m not a mechanic but I can stand over and engine and look it at with the best of them. I didn’t stop with high hopes of fixing his car, nor did I did I stop to apologize for anything. I just stopped to see if he needed anything, gave him a gospel tract and invited him to church. Meanwhile down the road there were about 50 people holding Black Lives Matter signs and protesting things I’ve never heard of being a real problem in Maine. I digress.

I stopped to meet Eric because the Lord directed me to. I knew if I didn’t, it would be a mistake. I didn’t have a great plan or speech. I was just wanting to be obedient to the Lord, taking the next step he had for me in the moment. The Lord gave me the words to say so that when I left Eric I had not fixed his vehicle problems, but he had received some light. I’m going to pray for Eric in the days ahead.

I think we could cross reference this verse with Mark 13:11: “…take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.”

There is great encouragement in this truth. We see that if we faithfully do our small part of preparation and obedience, God will do the large part of helping us speak. Plan to obey and the Lord will help you answer.

-C.R.