I was running late to the morning meeting. As I rushed about, a random thought crossed my mind. Even though I was late, it was not going to be a problem. So, why not send a quick SMS to alert the other?
I broke the law as I was pushing my way through traffic. My fingers danced on the iPhone. “I am running 10-15 minutes late. On the way now.”
Within seconds, my phone chirped. The text was louder than any conversation. “I am working in China working on my visa. We are meeting tomorrow, right?”
My mind raced. I was sure it was today, but maybe I was wrong? How could he have screwed this appointment up? What kind of message was he trying to send me? How could I have missed the signals he was sending earlier?
Conclusions are sometimes obvious. One knows that a red light means that one should stop for one’s safety. One understands that when someone says “no” they mean no. Other events often are a clear as these. One wisdom farther tells how when “startled from sleep, the jailer saw all the doors swinging loose on their hinges. Assuming that all the prisoners had escaped, he pulled out his sword and was about to do himself in, figuring he was as good as dead anyway, when Paul stopped him: ‘Don’t do that! We’re all still here! Nobody’s run away!’” (Acts 16.27, 28)
The punch line reminded me that not all conclusions are forgone or accurate. Perhaps I should quickly check my files to see what the truth revealed.
In this case, my slow response to his response was good. I had written one date and thought another. I agreed to a meeting at a specific time and written something different in my diary. My conclusion was not a valid one.
I rescheduled and walked into our meeting with an open mind. We made great progress. There are opportunities to explore. I have papers to write. Nothing is set. You and I hold the power of freedom to choose.
