For being in a relatively outward facing calling, I am a very introverted person. I do not think I am alone in this fact. I need my alone time, my quiet time, and my prayer time. Even in busy, public places, I sometimes take comfort in the veil of anonymity. Airports are a great example of this. But God sometimes calls us to step out of our comfort zones.
Thus, instead of zoning out or enjoying a book or puzzle on the plane from Boston to Indianapolis, I turned to my seat mate to say hello. I figured that he, like so many others on the plane, was heading to General Synod. He was not. He was in fact a German economist who had been trapped in Boston for three days and was running late for a conference in Bloomington. What I thought was a polite exchange soon turned into a conversation that lasted the whole trip. We talked about religious differences in the United States and Germany, environmental challenges, and migration policy. But we also turned to questions of life choices and the need to find forgiveness. At the time, I thought I was just being polite and engaging in rather dry discussions of ideas. But without even thinking, I was providing a non-anxious presence to some one who despite a pleasant and successful demeanor, was dealing with issues of anger and self-doubt.
You never know what opportunities for ministry God will present to you, whether you are a trained pastor or just a person open to the nudges of the Holy Spirit. As we move into Synod and the rush of programming and procedure, I hope that I, and others, will use and lose our quiet time to witness in unexpected ways.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Gregory N. Baker
Some days ‘angels’ minister to us and other days we are blessed to be called as ‘angels’ to others.