Something beautiful happened in Waffle House this morning when I stopped there to have some breakfast.
The customer finished his meal and approached the cashier to pay up. His conversation with Ashley, the young waitress was as follows:
Having read her name tag, he said, "Ashley, I am about to do something I have never done in my life before and am wondering if you will help me out." She replied, "Sure, what can I do?" The man whispered to her so nobody could hear. He said, "I'd like you to quietly collect everyone's check and bring it here to the register. I am going to pay for their breakfasts." Although she gave him a very surprised and strange look, she did not say a word. She did as the customer asked. The customer pulled out his credit card and paid the bill along with his own for seven tables. I think the total amount was around 61.00. As he left, I noticed all the workers in the restaurant were smiling. He said, "Have a great day, yall. And, be sure to say your prayers." I can't remember which one responded but one of the waitresses said, "I always do!"
Having been a part of this experience overwhelmed me. I had tears in my eyes as I got into my truck to leave. Last evening at our weekly small group meeting we discussed those times in our lives when God whispers to us in that small, quiet voice that only He can use. We discussed how it is up to us to discern whether it is God whispering to us or whether we were going crazy or whether we just make these promptings up in our minds. Bill Hybels, the author of our study, provides us five ways to filter what we may think are whispers from God. Basically, it's to ask some very simple questions. 1. Pray, "Is this really from you, God?" 2. Can it be scripturally verified? 3. What would the wise people I know of think about my response to the whisper? 4. Would responding to the whisper be out of character for me? 5. Would the people in my life that I trust the most sign off on my actions?
Something told me as I drove off that I had been part of one of those small, quiet whispers this morning. I ran the experience through the filters I learned about last night and the customer's response to the whisper he had received passed them all in my heart. I remembered the story of Solomon and how God had whispered to him in the night. When I got home, I re-read the poem Bill Hybels has used all his life. It was given to him by his teacher when he was a child:
The customer finished his meal and approached the cashier to pay up. His conversation with Ashley, the young waitress was as follows:
Having read her name tag, he said, "Ashley, I am about to do something I have never done in my life before and am wondering if you will help me out." She replied, "Sure, what can I do?" The man whispered to her so nobody could hear. He said, "I'd like you to quietly collect everyone's check and bring it here to the register. I am going to pay for their breakfasts." Although she gave him a very surprised and strange look, she did not say a word. She did as the customer asked. The customer pulled out his credit card and paid the bill along with his own for seven tables. I think the total amount was around 61.00. As he left, I noticed all the workers in the restaurant were smiling. He said, "Have a great day, yall. And, be sure to say your prayers." I can't remember which one responded but one of the waitresses said, "I always do!"
Having been a part of this experience overwhelmed me. I had tears in my eyes as I got into my truck to leave. Last evening at our weekly small group meeting we discussed those times in our lives when God whispers to us in that small, quiet voice that only He can use. We discussed how it is up to us to discern whether it is God whispering to us or whether we were going crazy or whether we just make these promptings up in our minds. Bill Hybels, the author of our study, provides us five ways to filter what we may think are whispers from God. Basically, it's to ask some very simple questions. 1. Pray, "Is this really from you, God?" 2. Can it be scripturally verified? 3. What would the wise people I know of think about my response to the whisper? 4. Would responding to the whisper be out of character for me? 5. Would the people in my life that I trust the most sign off on my actions?
Something told me as I drove off that I had been part of one of those small, quiet whispers this morning. I ran the experience through the filters I learned about last night and the customer's response to the whisper he had received passed them all in my heart. I remembered the story of Solomon and how God had whispered to him in the night. When I got home, I re-read the poem Bill Hybels has used all his life. It was given to him by his teacher when he was a child:
Oh! give me Samuel's ear,
An open ear, O Lord,
Alive and quick to hear
Each whisper of Thy Word;
Like him to answer to Thy call
And to obey Thee first of all.
Blessings to you all. <><
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