THERE ARE TWO WAYS OF LOOKING AT INTERRUPTIONS:
AS A CURSE NUISANCE
OR
AS A BLESSING
Admittedly, I have done both. I’m not proud of that but there it is. You now know I am not perfect. That sure blows 2012. 😀 Anyway, I digress. I have tended to see interruptions as a nuisance, especially when they have interrupted the flow of my day. The first two days of this week have been filled with interruptions, but these interruption was a blessing. Please keep in mind that as I tell you this, I AM NOT fishing for compliments, because I suspect many of you would done the exact same thing. Here is the story:
Mid-morning Monday the church office received a phone call from a young man who needed help. I will call the couple Jack and Jill (how original-ha). Jack & Jill were staying at the (only) local hotel and had been trying to reach churches, but none were open. We were, so he told the secretary their story. To make a long story short, Jack & Jill and their one month old son, had come to town expecting to live with a relative. Newborns and Alzheimer patients don’t often mix well, and panic attacks ensued when the baby cried. He was out of work and car-less, and only asked for one night’s lodging. So, after some checking I went to pay for a night’s stay. I met the couple, and man, it was cold that day!! They were going to walk to the grocery store. Jo & I had plans for lunch and the afternoon, but she was gracious to put them on hold so we could take them to the store and wait for them to shop. We ddrove them around looking at places to live and work (him), then went on our way. The next morning I called and they were having to take the baby to the doctor and stay one more night until their apartment was ready. I had also talked to some folks about a possible job for him, so after the baby’s doctor appointment, I took her to our itty-bitty WalMart for food, and him to a job interview. Two hours were gone by then. Oh, I also paid for another night. I serve a terrific church community that would have probably had my head if I had not helped them. 🙂 Needless to say, the interruption sort of ruined my plans for the afternoon.
But, you know, compassionate interruptions are God-directed. To not help them would have been the tragedy! Truth be known? They may have been taking us for a ride. I asked them to come visit us once they get settled. Will they? I have no clue, but that is not the important part. The important item, the intangible, the no-strings-attached truth, was all of this was done for Jack & Jill for no other agenda than to help a young couple and show them Jesus. Please pray for them.
How do you feel about interruptions? Do they bug you? Annoy you? Get you screaming? Have you ever had the chance to help someone in a tangible way? Feel free to share it.
Those are the best kind of interruptions for sure. And no they don’t annoy me at all.
Last week I was going to take half a day off and go home with Ethan to play his wii with him. Someone I had given a card to earlier in the day stopped by the church for counseling. Needless to say Ethan’s play date waited a few hours, but we still had fun.
it is good that you are open to those interruptions Michael. Also good that Ethan understands. The important thing here is that you did go home and play with Ethan. To not do so would have not been good.
It depends. Am I doing something I enjoy or something I despise? 🙂
Reckon that is a unique way to look at it. 🙂
Honestly, I don’t always handle interruptions very well. I tend to have a plan for what is happening in my morning or day, and it drives me nuts when someone or something comes along that throws my plans into disarray. I need to remember that these may be God appointments meant to get my schedule more aligned with His schedule.
I appreciate your honesty Jon. Sometimes it depends on my mood but you are right: I need to see them as God appointments, to get my schedule in line or maybe just to get me out of a rut. Thanks the comment.
Truthfully, I hate those kinds of interruptions, especially when it may just be people taking advantage of you. I give pastors like a you so much respect and honor for the care and time and love that you give, usually asking for very little in return. I hope it doesn’t lead to burn out or resentment after a while. I have seen that in some who never set limits or boundaries. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking a stand for protecting time with family once in a while, too. It’s a tough thing to balance, isn’t it? Thanks for the great story.
You raise a tough call Bradley. I asked myself several times then (and even now) was I being taken advantage of? Truthfully, I don’t know. It has been a long time since I went that “overboard” and got that involved in a situation like that. It felt good to do so but that nagging doubt was there. But I finally said, “You know. If they are using me there is nothing I can do about it. A seed has been planted and I can only pray God will bring a harvest from it.” Burn out? No. Resentment? I don’t think so. Caution? Maybe. i did forget to say that my wife was with me that first day. Thanks for visiting and commenting.
I’m with you. Sometimes I handle them great and other times I don’t. With being a pastor there is almost always an interruption. Someone is always hurting and their pain doesn’t take time off because I have family time. The problem is that I don’t want to sacrifice my family for the church. For me there is a balance and when I balance it well I love interruptions. When I don’t I suffer.
You have only begun to experience the family thing with the twins. As they grow it will be tougher but i encourage you to protect that family time. Your wife will help you on that I am sure. 🙂 Mine did. Thanks Rob for coming by.
I’m nervous even posting a comment, since I have a busy day today 🙂
But I’ve had to force myself to view interruptions as opportunities. The person in front of me at the grocery store can’t afford everything so they take forever having the cashier remove items until they can afford it. That’s the opportunity I had a week or so ago. I was able to say, “just put those items on my bill.”
Not to brag, it was just a really awesome experience, and the whole time I thought “Why don’t I do this more often?”
I love that you were able to do that Seth. That is so cool you were open to that. Like you, I have found myself asking, “Why don’t i do that more?” Thanks for some great input.
I just heard a sermon yesterday about the great Samaritan & how the 1st two people who walked by the man weren’t bad people per se, they were good Christian people who were busy and didn’t want to be interrupted. That hit home. I often get sucked into my little routines and good Christian duties and don’t want to be interrupted. But it’s not about me right? 🙂
It is true Craig that they weren’t bad people. In our day, we would call them clergy or church goers/doers. But what good is it if we go and do, but are not open to people who desperately need us? Thanks for the comment. (You forgot your URL).
I don’t like interruptions. Once my train of thought gets derailed, it is really hard to get it back on the tracks.
But.
I am learning to pause, and listen for direction. Learning as in haven’t got it nailed yet, but even when I feel unwilling, I can choose to embrace the interruption. Doing it graciously is more difficult. 🙂
As far as being taken advantage of, I’d far rather have someone take advantage of me than to ignore the nudge of the Holy Spirit. If He is in it, what happens is in His court, not mine.
I find that true, especially when I am studying. It is really hard for me to “get it back together” if I am interrupted. But I have to trust that God will pull me back together if necessary. Like you, I prefer to be taken advantage of than to ignore the voice of the HS. Thanks Susan for your input.
Divine interruptions are indeed worth it. I’m pretty certain the folks who introduced me to the Gospel were interrupted. I came out of that interruption. I’m thankful for that.
I think discernment also plays a big role into helping people. Here’s an example:
I was leaving church one late evening (around 10pm) from church and as I was getting in the car with my wife and (at that time) 6 month old daughter in the back seat, a young man approached me and said, “God bless man, Can you help me?” I need a ride to my home and I have no money. It’s only 10 minutes from here in car. I would appreciate it”
I looked him dead in the eye and I just responded, “I’m sorry brother, but I can’t do it. If you like I can provide you with a Metrocard so you can take the bus”.
He responded, “it’s too late and the buses are now running on an hourly schedule. Come on man… aren’t you a man of God?”.
I put my daughter in the car and said, “sorry man. Can’t do it”. Got in the car and drove away.
Now, here’s why: Our church is located in Brooklyn, specifically in East New York with a high robbery and murder rate. I was not going to put a complete stranger in the back seat of my car, giving him my back with my 6 month old daughter next to him. No way, no how.
As I drove away, I prayed, “Lord, I don’t feel at ease giving him a ride, if I have sinned, forgive me” and went home. I thought a lot about that evening and prayed for the young man, but I just couldn’t do it.
All this to say, that we should be very careful with certain interruptions. Some are great and great opportunities to serve, others, are dangerous.
WOW Moe that is a powerful story. i can see how discernment is so important. I pray for it but don’t always show the wisest “ear.” Thanks for sharing that. Thanks for your wisdom my friend.
I don’t deal with interruptions very well either. I can’t imagine the interruptions that all of you pastor’s must face. Makes a difficult job even harder. My hat is off to all of you.
Sure there are interruptions, but I also get to see lives changed. That makes it all worthwhile. Thanks for the respect and the comment Sele.
Hi Bill,
To me there are some great comments here from Seth and Moe. Like Moe, there are certain ‘good deeds’ that I will not do. I won’t pick up a hitchhiker on the highway, not even a lone female. It’s too dangerous. When I go by I say ‘sorry, but I can’t’.
My story today is similar to Seth’s. I was at the local Max convenience store waiting at the counter to pay. A boy and girl were in front of me and were a couple of pennies short because of the gst tax. They didn’t know what to do because they wouldn’t have been able to buy their treat. I went forward and gave them the 2 or 3 cents.
I may not have gotten as much joy as Seth did from his ‘opportunity’ but I left the store with joy also. I helped out 2 kids that day, and my cost? a couple of pennies.
I guess in telling this story I wonder why the store clerk didn’t help them out. Stores in Canada like Macs often have those ‘need a penny?’ holders for just such occasions. People take pennies out and put pennies in. The clerk was going to turn the kids away over a couple of pennies.
Glad you were able to help out Linda. There is nothing as good as that feeling. Thanks for the comment.
I think it has to do with our concept of what it means to be productive. Many are familiar with the verses that encourage us to redeem the time. The word there for time is kairos, meaning seasons or opportune moments. In other words, productivity is about recognizing opportunities and pouncing, not about stressing out over our to-do lists.
Congratulations on your productivity!
Thanks Loren. I saw it as that as well. I wasn’t wasting time. 🙂 thanks for the encouragement.
Bill, I have seven kids…need I say more? However, divine interruptions are somehow filled with the grace we need and I’m glad for that.
Yeah, I suspect you have interruptions, Jay. 🙂 Thanks for the light-hearted comment.
I would probably place them in the annoyance or inconvenience category. I am not talking when creating world peace type of agenda’s either…maybe just planning to do nothing…Praying for this couple and that they caught a glimpse and some hope of the Christ! Blessings.
Thanks for the prayers for this couple. I am praying for planted seed to bring fruit, now or somewhere down the line.
Sometimes interruptions are a God send in that they get me focused on something else and when I return I have fresh ideas – other times ….well no so much.
On another thought – Ministry seems to be a vocation that is build on interruptions in that those interruptions are God providing people with opportunities to minister.
Good thoughts!
Since you are in pastoral ministry Jim you would understand the interruptions. You do and thanks for the words of wisdom.
Great story of what can happen when we pay attention and exercise compassion (and a great reminder by Moe too as I’ve seen both sides). I love how God reaches in so many tangible and intangible ways. Thanks Bill.
Thanks jason for your comment. I would love to hear someday your “both” sides.
Sorry for not approving and commenting more consistently but I am in one of those interruptions right now. I made an emergency trip to Indy to be with a family who had preemie twins. Due in march. The little girl lived 20 minutes but the little boy weighed in just over 4 pounds & right now is doing well. I will approve comments & try to get to them later tonight or tomorrow. Thx for understanding.
Praying for the family…
Thanks Jay. She will be cremated and the service in a week or so they are talking. have asked me to do it. prayers are appreciated.
I’m in the boat of most people–that it depends on the situation, and it takes discernment as well.
Still…I definitely feel like they can be opportunities. When I was in school I had a car, and that means a lot of people would ask me for rides. Sometimes, that can be annoying, but it also allowed me to help others. This may sound weird, but it also allowed me to make some good friendships.
Doesn’t sound weird at all Jon. You would definitely have to have discernment on who was and was not taking advantage of you. Thanks for the comment.
Oh my gosh, I am praying for the family who are going through the loss of one baby & the joy of having the other one. It doesn’t surprise me that you went to be with them.
I think I deal with interruptions fairly well, maybe that comes from having 5 kids & someone always needing something, but I have the thought that if someone is interrupting me, there is a reason for it and who am I to think I’m so arrogant not to see what is needed, such as in your case with the couple & I can completely understand Moe’s situation, I would have done the same thing. I figure that what’s going on in my little world isn’t so important that I can’t take time to see what is needed from an interruption…..at school there would always be interruptions, which I dealt with, the only thing I didn’t handle very well was if I had a student talking to me & another student just came up & rudely interrupted us, then I would tell them to be respectful & that I would talk to them when I finished with the student I was talking to already… then I would have a little chat with that student. haha! I had quite a few interruptions last summer with my boys, all 4 of them, even in the middle of the night, but I believe that God wanted me to be there for them and my sleep or whatever else would be there when I returned from seeing to their needs. Great post Bill!
There are some interruptions, like with your boys and even some students, but there are also those who are rude. I am sure though, knowing you, you handled it with grace. thanks Jan for your kind words also.
I would take those interruptions all day long. Being able to help other people who really need help is so important. Churches who help others are following biblical truths. The church and pastors are called to help others. Thank you for sharing this story.
I believe I was following biblical truths, i.e. when i was hungry… thanks Dan for coming by. BTW: the little boy will be in the Neo Intensive Care Unit for about 7 weeks they say. how is Logan doing?
When I’m in the course of my day, I have to admit, my fuse is woefully short. It’s another one of those “weaknesses” I suffer from. Being task oriented is like a double edged sword, it definitely cuts both ways.
Your heart and story were revealed when you ask us to pray for that couple. Thanks for your heart.. I sent one up.
Unfortunately, I also suffer from that sometimes and don’t always see the interruptions as good things. Thanks for your honesty floyd. Appreciate your prayer for the couple. They have some healing to do.
I love those kind of interruptions.
🙂 They can become great opportunities.