I was so delighted when a girlfriend from high school reconnected with me this week.  We’ve had no contact since graduation.  We were both new to the high school our senior year. Our last names caused us to be seated next to each other in trigonometry class, so it was natural for us to strike up a friendship.  As it turned out, she was a blessing to me in many ways, one of which was helping me pass trig!  She sat in front of me in class and had the uncanny ability to calm me down when I was having a meltdown over a difficult trig problem.  Not only was her presence calming, she was brilliant and easily mastered the concepts that I struggled with.  Being kind, she patiently explained things so I could grasp them.  Without her, I would’ve failed the class.  She was a better teacher than the teacher.  I admired her intelligence and maturity and enjoyed just hanging out with her.  How wonderful to renew our friendship this week!

This happy experience and the memories it brought got me thinking about how God brings people into our lives at just the right time.  In the case of my friend, God brought her into my life to help me with her strength for my weakness.  At a difficult time in my life, she genuinely cared about me and patiently proved it.  I had recently lost my mother and had had to move to this city to live with an elderly aunt and uncle.  I had, therefore, lost everything that had been my normal life- mother, grandmother, church, school, and friends.  Her caring, calm heart was a balm for my hurting soul.  She and two other precious friends saw me through that tough year.  God graciously brought these loving people into my life when I desperately needed them.  I did nothing to find them.  They showed up while I was just doing life.  I was simply doing what I was supposed to do and I was open to friendship.  When has God brought caring people into your life at just the right time?

Some people come into our lives to teach us truth.  From my childhood, I have had the privilege of learning the Scriptures from wise women and men who dedicated themselves to teaching.  I honor and respect them and look forward to thanking them in Heaven.  But no one can teach us something we don’t want to learn.  We can choose to be open and ready to listen, applying ourselves to the task of learning or we can blow it off and miss out. 

“Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”  The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.”  Acts 8:30-31

Everyone has something to teach us if we pay attention.  The worst drunk beside the street can teach us something if we take the time to consider.  Sometimes difficult people come into our lives to teach us by their negative example.  We watch them and determine not to act like them.  Sometimes difficult people hurt us and force us to grow in ways we wouldn’t have otherwise.  There have been/are people in my life who harmed our children and the pain, anger, and hatred I feel drive me to God for help.  Every time that hatred burns hot in my heart, I have to run to the righteous Judge who promises to repay them himself.

“Vengeance is mine, says the Lord.  I will repay.”  Deuteronomy 32:35
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,” says the Lord.  Romans 12:19 quoting Deuteronomy 32:35

Some people come into our lives to guide us.  This requires humility and openness to receive their advice.  Since talking to my high school friend, I reminisced about that senior year of change in my life.  I had been forced out of my normal and was learning to adapt, and then another big change loomed on the horizon- college.  But I wasn’t sure which college.  My grandfather was the first acting president of a nearby college, but that one didn’t seem to be the right one for me.  My aunt and uncle were hoping I’d follow in the footsteps of their daughter and attend the college she had gone to.  I was able to travel to visit that college and I liked it a lot, but I just wasn’t sure if it was the right one either.  I will be forever grateful to them for inviting their pastor to come to their house to help me sort out which college might be best.  He was well educated, kind, and a good listener.  He gave me excellent advice on which of the colleges I was considering would best prepare me for achieving my goal.  I immediately applied to that one.  Taking his advice was one of the best decisions I have ever made because it was there that I met my dear husband.  What advice are you glad you took?

“Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say.  Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”
So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her.
And she replied, “Yes, I will go.”
. . . Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.”  Genesis 24: 50-51, 57, 64.  Both Isaac and Rebekah honored the advice of Isaac’s father who wanted a wife for Isaac from their relatives.  Although the circumstances were unusual, and they had never met, they both were willing to marry each other.  And God gave them love.

Some people come into our lives so we can learn to serve unselfishly.  Children come to mind!  Every mother has learned that their lives are never the same after the arrival of little ones.  Children require a level of unselfishness unparalleled by any other relationship except marriage.  Middle-of-the-night feedings are just a hint of the years (lifetime!) ahead of putting someone else’s needs ahead of your own.  But aren’t we better people because of the character-building experiences of parenting?

Maybe this week would be a good time for you to look back in gratitude to God for the people he has brought into your life- both loving people and hurtful people.  Each of them helped grow you into the person you are today.  Take your sad, hard memories to God so he can heal you and comfort you.  Thank him for specific people who have loved you, taught you, advised you, and helped you just when you needed them.  And, if possible, thank them!

“Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”).”  Genesis 22:14