Courage?

You never know how what you say will affect the lives of others. I have now had two people take me aside privately and tell me very personal stories about how what I said affected their lives. Not just simple things - profound, ground shaking, perspective altering change - all rooted in living out the Gospel. The first was from a woman whom I met a few years ago and had lost contact with, she was angry, hurt and distressed after a very messy divorce. She went on a retreat and I saw here there. She went on another, and I happened to be there too. We talked, we laughed, we cried and she feels able to get on with living - and finding ways to give back to others who find themselves in the same situation she did.

The second happened at a sushi restaraunt over lunch today with a collegue here. I just got back to my desk, the tears just poured out (yes... I'm a crier!), and I had to write it down.

I remember vividly when I announced at a meeting that I would be leaving Xerox to persue my masters. Everyone congratulated me and asked if I would be coming back when my MBA was done... I had to explain it wasn't an MBA, but an MDiv. The room went pretty quiet, except for this one, usually very quiet man, who practally jumped out of his seat with a joy that this announcement had not been greeted with before.

Today he took me for lunch.

He told me his story of joys, sorrows, love and laughter. He is very involved in his church (screening committee, choir, parish council), in fact his whole family is very involved. Today he told me that he admires me and my decision. He said it truly made him glad that someone as young as me, with such a promising future at this company could see past the physical luxuries and trappings of western society, drop everything to follow the call of God. He said that breif conversation and announcement a meeting 3 months ago ignited a spark in him that he had been trying for years to put out. But now he didn't want to put it out - he wanted to embrace it. He may now retire early so that he can persue his gift of thereputic touch - in working with people who are in Hospice care and who are dying to grant them some measure comfort in the knowledge that they are not alone. To be with people as they heal, and to help people have a good death. To help members of his congregation who are suffering and to pray with them and to love them.
He thanked me for my courage.

That was his word.

Courage.

I have never used that word to describe myself before.

God doesn't work in mysterious ways. God uses you, and me to affect change now.