Experiencing more than what we expect...

Noted Presbyterian preacher and pastor Morgan Roberts tells a story about a time in 2007 when violinist Joshua Bell performed a number of concerts in Washington, D.C. During his visit, the Washington Post employed him for an interesting experiment. Bell dressed as a "down on his luck" musician, leaned against a subway wall, and for forty-five minutes offered an impromptu underground concert consisting of six glorious but demanding selections. Bell played them on his $3.5 million Stradivarius. A hidden camera recorded the audience's response to this master musician whose concerts can cost $100 per ticket. Of the more than one thousand people who walked by, twenty-seven dropped some pocket change into Bell's box, but walked on without stopping to enjoy the music. Only seven actually stopped long enough to listen.

We often see, hear, and discover only what we expect to see, hear, and discover. Many years ago I served as pastor of a congregation also served by a housekeeper. She usually executed her job in the background and was careful to draw no attention to herself. She had grown up poor, married early, had limited financial means, and had very earthy speech and demeanor. Beneath that surface, however, a gem glistened. She was an avid reader of historical novels, able to converse with the best educated Anglophile. She enjoyed classical music and could identify not only the composers of the pieces on my sound system but also something about the writing of that piece. She also had an amazing ability to call squirrels. She'd walk to the back doors of the church, make a clucking sound, and soon be distributing peanuts to the squirrels sitting expectantly at her feet. I called her Mary Lou of Assisi. Most did not know that or anything else about her. They only knew her as our housekeeper and that did not trouble her at all.

Not all people are equally enjoyable, but unpleasant people usually wear their disagreeableness close to the surface and allow us to discover it quickly. Many blessings are disguised and reveal themselves only when we step beyond our expectations or assumptions.

I once attended a conference in which nearly every "big name" in the field was present. There was a beautiful park near the conference center and during our breaks I took a walk there. A well-known figure frequented the park on breaks as often as I did. He was a "big name" and I assumed that he did not notice me. He took the first step, introduced himself (as if I didn't know his name), and we shared an impromptu lunch purchased from a street vendor. It turned out that both of us were pondering potential vocational changes and consulting some of the same sources for guidance. It would be a stretch to say that we became friends, but we established a relationship. Even more, as we chatted a third presence seemed to join us. Blessings are often disguised and reveal themselves only when we step beyond our expectations or assumptions.

Somewhere around us an unexpected blessing awaits discovery. The first step to receiving it may be setting aside our assumptions and expectations. "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it" (Psalm 24:1). Goodness constantly spills over somewhere, whether we notice or not.

Grace and Peace,

LP