In any given room I may not be considered the most normal person there, but still, I never cease to be amazed at how awkward some people can be. Over the years I have developed certain relational skills that keep me from being terribly rude but they don't always work that well.
At a wake a few days ago I ran into a woman I didn't know who remembered me from teaching in a home group in her city over 20 years ago. This dear woman, in a very awkward way, took great delight in reminding me that I had a hole in my shoe that day. During that season Donna and I had been called back into ministry along with our four children and were barely making ends meet. Replacing half-soles on my shoes weren't on the top of the list -eating was.
I guess as I sat in the room with them sharing my heart, as I crossed my legs the sole of my 'holey' shoe must have stared her in the face. She didn't seem to remember anything I taught on but had been mightily impressed with the condition of my loafer! She told me she recalled saying to the Lord, "Someone ought to buy him some shoes!"
I responded, "The Lord wanted you to buy me some shoes! Who else better to be the answer to that prayer than yourself!" According to CSI and all the other crime shows on TV she fulfilled all the necessary characteristics of a typical perpetrator: motive, means, and opportunity. Motive...'someone should'. Means...all those women were rich in that home group with whom I was sharing. Opportunity...I sat before her with the hole in my shoe.
I have learned over the years that certain folks feel like it is their responsibility to humble you when possible. Why people want to do that is beyond me. Life does it well enough without any additional awkward help from total strangers.
Also. We need to help people when we can. Many times we are the answers to the prayers we pray.
