Life’s “U-Turns”

Life has a bunch of “U-turns” in it. Some good, some bad. Some expected, some unexpected. And some U-turns are neither good, nor bad – they are “just there” – hidden opportunities designed to potentially redirect one’s course in life.

This past weekend, like many Americans, I celebrated Labor Day weekend. In spite of all the craziness going on in our country these days, I still feel fortunate and blessed to live in this great country of ours. I still believe our United States of America is the greatest country in the world to live in. And that the standard of living, the freedoms, and the opportunities most Americans have are greater than most other places in the world today.

This weekend I also went shopping. On my way home from a major department store I noticed several people standing at local street corner. Three of them. A father, a mother, and a young daughter. The father was holding a sign seeking help of some sort. I couldn’t read the full inscription, but I knew what it said, “Help Needed!” I had seen individuals like this before - street beggars seeking handouts or help of some sort.

Somehow, over the course of time I had grown accustomed to seeing individuals like this. Grown indifferent. Grown callous. Somehow, I had learned to rationalize that anybody who wants a job in this country can get a job. After all, this is America, right? Or that any generosity I might extend to someone would be taken advantage of. Any donation would be spent on drugs or alcohol or some other vice. Whatever the excuse, I had learned to justify my behavior and look past their needs.

As I approached the three of them, I avoided making eye contact or acknowledging them. To distract myself, I adjusted my radio to my favorite radio station – 91.5 FM. My car quietly sneaked past them and I was finally in the clear when suddenly the stop light in front of me turned “red”. And remained “red”. That is when it hit me – this nudge; this prompting that said “turn around.”

I’ve felt nudges or promptings like this before, but truth-be-told, I‘ve somehow grown to ignore or resist most of them. I rationalize I’m too busy or my schedule is too full to stop. But this nudge lingered. The longer the stop light remained “red”, the stronger the prompting grew. The more personal, more intimate the prompting grew. I couldn’t help but think of the current crisis in Afghanistan and all the refugees that are either currently or will soon be seeking homes in countries like ours.

And that’s when it hit me. What if the three beggars on my local street corner were more than just an “accidental encounter”? What if they were normal, average human beings like me – only they really were “in need”? And what if the circumstances had been different and I was the one soliciting help on our local street corner and they drove past me? The thought just kept rolling around in the back of my mind as I sat there anxiously waiting for the light to change colors.

Suddenly, the stop light in front of me turned “green” and I was free to leave. Free to escape. Free to ignore those subtle promptings as I had done so many times before. But as I began to pull away, my hands, almost as though they had a mind of their own, pulled the steering wheel to the left and my car made a slow, intentional U-turn. A U-turn which returned me to the same three strangers on the street corner. A U-turn which returned me to the same three strangers soliciting help. A U-turn which returned me to the same three strangers I had previously ignored.

That day I made a simple U-turn and trusted one of those small, but very real prompting God places on my heart. A simple prompting to help others in need. Did I solve world poverty? No, not even close. It was just a small act of charity to someone I will probably never meet again. Even when I’m suspicious or doubtful or don’t have much to contribute – I believe the Holy Spirit still calls me to trust Him in situations like this, not myself. And that’s hard for me to do. Hard because we live in a world where people will take advantage of you. I’ve been taken advantage of. Hard because people will let you down. I’ve had people let me down. Hard because people will betray you. I’ve had people – even friends – betray me. Fortunately, God never does. And in spite of this crazy world we live in, He is the one I’m ultimately trying to “listen to”. He is the one I’m ultimately trying to trust on a daily basis.

I believe God nudges me like that on a regular basis. But if I’m honest, I believe I often ignore or “find detours” around His promptings in my life. I justify or rationalize things in my own head instead of trusting His calling in my life. Someday I hope to avoid the many detours I take and respond to His promptings the way He intends - by following “a straight line” to where He leads me. In the meantime, I stumble along and He is patient with me and allows me to make a few U-turns or Figure-8s or whatever course it takes to redirect me to my true destination.

If you are like me, I hope and pray that your sense of direction is better than mine. And that you are willing to make a few course corrections, even U-turns, to get you back on course and lead you to your ultimate destination each day. Ultimate destination in life. And when you do, I hope you sense God’s peace and presence in your life in a very real and personal way that reassures you that you are on the right path in life.