I had several weeks to prepare. The subject was interesting. I did my homework. As Sunday night approached for my short worship talk, I checked my notes to see if they were complete. I felt prepared. I thought I was ready. Even in retrospect, I had every reason to be confident.
I arrived early to help the band bring their equipment in and set up. I enjoyed the informal rehearsal! The hand percussion player was magical. The electric guitar was amazing. I could feel how this was going to be a great evening.
As one often does with worship, we gathered to have prayer for each other. Will seemed troubled as we finished. He quietly reached out to me and asked if he could talk with me. Given that I trusted our friendship, I invited him to join me at the counter.
“Are you open to counsel?”
“I think so. About what?”
“About your worship talk tonight.”
“Will, I think I am prepared. I have studied. I am ready.”
“I am sure you have done all those things. I do have a question though.”
“What?”
“Do you want more?”
“Do I want more what?”
“You have studied and I believe you are prepared. If you are willing, I sense God is willing to give you more.”
I was a newcomer to this group. We could have been at Ephesus. Then “a man named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was a Jew, born in Alexandria, Egypt, and a terrific speaker, eloquent and powerful in his preaching of the Scriptures.” (Acts 18.24) He thought he was ready, but he needed more.
I was candid with Will. “I hope that I am willing, but I do not know. Will you asked God on my behalf to help me be open?”
That night I discovered that as good as I was, others could offer more. The past few days have reminded me of that unseen gap. When we embrace community, we discover more. As we let friendship reach us, we are greater. When we share, the choice makes everything better.
