CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON -- The moral of the story

“You have never locked eyes with another human being who isn’t valuable

to God.”

-- Bill Hybels

This week I was on a five-hour flight. When I first sat down, the young

woman next to me and her friend stopped chatting to smile at me, and then

they went back to their conversation. Both fell asleep soon after

take-off.

I ate my meal, watched a movie and began reading a book called “Becoming

a Contagious Christian” by Bill Hybels.

It’s a great book with a great message about sharing God’s love with

others. It reminded me that everybody is deeply and equally important to

God -- whether a waitress, a cashier or a person sitting next to me on an

airplane flight. That got my attention, so I looked over at the woman

next to me, but she was still sleeping.

I kept reading.

The author wrote that everybody I encounter matters to God and,

therefore, should matter to me.

“When this fact grips you to the core of your being, you’ll never be the

same. You will live in awe of the scope and depth and breadth of God’s

love and you’ll treat people differently,” he wrote.

I looked at the sleeping woman again and prayed that God would bless her

in a special way today. I started wondering about her life, where she was

from and where she was going. I kept reading, but I felt God quietly

nudging me to talk with her.

“Well, God,” I said, inaudibly to anyone else, “I don’t know exactly what

you are trying to tell me, and I don’t know exactly what I’d say to her

if we were to talk. But as we can both clearly see, she is asleep. If you

want me to talk to her, you’ll have to wake her up, because I’m sure not

going to.”

Just then she woke up.

Her friend was still asleep. She turned to me and the two of us didn’t

stop talking until the plane landed. She told me about her life, and I

told her about mine. When I said that my husband and I were going on a

trip with friends from church, she started asking questions.

“Does God really make your life different?” she wondered.

“I felt like something was missing until I realized God loved me and

wanted to be part of my life,” I answered. “God gave me a deep joy and a

sense of purpose that I didn’t have before. It’s like a light switch went

on.”

“I have another friend who is a Christian who said the same thing about

the light switch,” she said. “She also says that the Bible tells her

things about everyday life. Is that true for you, too?”

“I read some of the Bible every day, and it always gives me comfort,

hope, advice or encouragement,” I responded.

“That’s interesting.” she said. “That is really interesting.”

As we left the plane, she added: “Thank you. I really enjoyed talking to

you.”

I thanked her as well, and I thanked God for giving me the opportunity to

talk with such a delightful young woman. I realize that opportunities are

everywhere, I just need to open my eyes.

And you can quote me on that.