Open or Closed?

Open or Closed?

While I live in San Clemente¹, I love having cause to travel to America’s big, older cities—in this case, Chicago, as I mentioned in a briefing earlier this week: [http://pastorwoman.com/ReadArchive.aspx?id=1501]   Engaging with humanity wherever I am is always the highlight of travel for me.  My first encounter on Chicago soil was with the cabdriver who took me from the airport to my hotel.  Honestly, he wasn’t saying a word, and I debated about leaving him alone with his thoughts, but afraid I might miss out, just could not do that. 

‘So, how long you been in Chicago?’ I queried.  ‘Long time,’ he said.  ‘Yeah, been in Chicago a while—tough town, brutal weather…its hard, you know?  I’m used to dealing with monkeys,’ he said.  ‘Wait… what? What do you mean by that?’  ‘I’m from Tanzania.’ 

‘I see,’ I chuckled. ‘Honestly, I know this weather is brutal for you, but this cold and the snow all over the place is a novelty for me.  I come from a town where the average year-round temperature is 71 degrees.’  There was a bit of quiet.  ‘So what do you like to do?’ I asked. ‘Travel.’  ‘Your favorite place?’  ‘I really like Dubai,’ he said, and smiled.

‘Hmmm, so you’re from Tanzania and you like Dubai a lot, might you be Muslim?’  And with that, he reached up and tugged his rearview mirror down to get a better look at me.  Clearly deciding he was quite safe with me, he answered honestly, ‘Well yes, as a matter of fact, I am,’ but I’m not really religious anymore.’  He continued to talk and I listened; then he asked about me—I told him I’m not religious either, but I sure do love God. 

As we neared my hotel, he said, ‘I don’t usually talk to people in my cab—I stay to myself.’  ‘I kinda gathered that,’ I said, ‘but I’m glad you talked to me.  What’s your name?’  ‘Josef.’  ‘Good night and God bless you, Josef,’ I paid him and got out of the cab.  While he wasn’t initially open to conversation, because I expressed sincere friendliness, he opened right up and talked with me.  I believe God smiled.

Last night, after writing and podcasting, I walked through the blowing snow to a restaurant with televisions to catch some of the college championship football game, hoping to see Marcus Mariota get a ‘W’.  Between studying my class notes, taking in the game and eating my salad, a conversation ensued between a nearby fella and myself.  All was good, even when he told me about his yucky divorce, but when I told him what I do and who I am, he physically repositioned himself and turned his back to me.  Honestly, it was kinda funny because I had read about this kind of thing when I was 17 and in a communications class as a freshman in college!  He no longer wished to talk to me.  Nonverbal language that screamed louder than any words he might have spoken.  Apparently, he was closed off to anything I might say from then on—I don’t know why, but for some reason, it still makes me crack up.  A balding Dennis Franz from Atlanta shunning me because I told him just a little about Jesus.  Closed off, he was.

This morning, it was colder than cold for this California girl, and I grabbed a cab to get to my 8 am class.  ‘How are you this morning, Sir?’ I asked rather quickly, as I knew it was a short drive.  ‘I’m doing okay,’ he said, and I noted his inflection.  ‘Where are you from?’  ‘Nigeria.’  ‘Really?’  I asked, ‘Your name end in an ‘o’?’  And once again the rearview mirror was tilted down to look at me.  ‘You see, I write Bible study and send to many countries—I have a lot of subscribers from Nigeria, and so many seem to end in ‘o’.’  ‘Yes,’ he said, and smiled, ‘my name is Taiwo.’  ‘So, it seems that Nigerians are one of two things—Christians or Muslims…you?’  ‘I am a born again Christian,’ he said.  [Within a few minutes, I took down his information, and promised to add him to the distribution of these briefings.] 

‘So, Taiwo,’ I said—‘I have to get out here in the next block, but could I pray for you before I get out of the car?’  ‘Oh yes,’ he said.  I prayed for his health and safety as he asked, and then because I know that it is scriptural, I prayed that God’s favor would rest upon him as well.  My new friend Taiwo was open to give, open to receive the love of God.

The psalmist David prayed, ‘May the favor of the Lord rest upon you, confirm and establish the work of your hands; yes, confirm and establish the work of your hands.’²

I pray, Friends, that you will be open and not miss out on opportunities to give away the love you have within you, the love God has so graciously bestowed upon you.  Indeed, ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’³   Look for ways to be open to love others who are in your path.

Christine

PastorWoman.com

1 – San Clemente is a smallish surf town halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, California

2 – Psalm 90.17

3 – Hebrews 13.2