A Parable and a Monthly Mission, by Kat Silverglate  Copyright 2022

He glared at his phone hoping that a steady gaze would will the Uber driver to move faster. When she pulled up, he avoided eye contact while hefting his own suitcase into the trunk. As always, he slid into the seat behind the driver. Less eye contact reduced the possibility of idle chit chat. If the “quiet mode” selection on the app wasn’t enough, this usually sent an effective “don’t bother me” vibe.

“Hello Mr. Canyou,” she started in a chipper tone. “Can I offer you some water or play some music you’d enjoy?” His silence told her all she needed to know about Canyou. She didn’t say another word. Just as they rolled into the airport, his eye caught the title of the book on her passenger seat -- Surviving Grief. His heart clenched. Not just because his best friend died unexpectedly a year ago, but because God had surrounded him with the most extraordinary comfort in his darkest days. He felt a heavenly nudge to say something to her. But he didn’t. Instead, he grabbed his bag and bolted for the gate.  

Running down the tarmac he looked up and silently prayed: “Can you give me something a little less sensitive next time? I still can’t talk about it without choking up.”

At the gate Canyou stood cheek to jowl with throngs of others while the usual boarding drama was playing itself out. Wheelchairs fighting to get past the huddle pressing to get closer. A passenger at the counter waiving her arms and complaining about some inconvenience. Another announcement to step away until your group is called. Nobody seemed to hear the flight attendant’s announcement that one roundtrip domestic ticket would go to anyone willing to give up their seat. To him, it sounded strangely loud and clear and weirdly personal. “For any volunteer” she continued, “we’ll guarantee a seat on the flight that leaves one hour from now.” The sense that God was somehow speaking to him only grew when he realized he’d make his meeting with time to spare if he said yes.

Again, he spoke upward in his heart. “Can you give me a bigger understanding of why this matters? There must be 200 people here. Anybody can give up a seat. Why me?” It made no sense. He boarded.  

Finally on the plane, he rushed to jam his i-pods in his ears and turned in his window seat away from the row mates who would soon arrive. The two hour flight gave just enough time to finish his book, a faith- based leadership tome on facing impossible challenges with grace. Every time he listened to that book, he was filled with the same desire and prayer: “Lord, call me to something big. I want to make a real difference in this world. Can you give me something God size?”

An hour into the flight, he needed to relieve himself. Now forced to look left he saw a middle school boy who was clearly terrified of flying sitting next a woman on the isle. He assumed she was the boy’s mother. Without words, he pointed to the lavatory. Both moved. He returned, sat, finished his book and was storing his tray table for landing when the flight attendant walked deliberately to the boy.

“Now remember to stay in your seat when we land. I’ll take you to the waiting area. Your mom’s flight is just an hour behind this one.”

The woman on the isle was as surprised as Canyou. She thought he was the boy’s father. A stoic father, but his father nonetheless.  

Canyou lowered his head. He understood right away. The woman at the counter waiving her arms; that was his mother. Her son flew alone because nobody would give up a seat. Because he ignored the Lord’s nudge. He didn’t know what to say, so he just started with something simple:

“Can you tell me your name son?”

The boy looked relieved.

_______

Sizing is a real thing for us, isn’t it? A poke. A nudge. A prompt from the Lord and we start measuring like we are assigning size labels to a shipment of shirts. We go from extra-small --“can you make it a little smaller so I’ll know if I can handle it?” – to small -- “can you make it a little bigger than something ‘just anybody’ could do? – to medium -- “can you tell me why so I can decide if it fits in the middle of my comfort zone?” – to XX-Large – can you give me something big, I want to make a real difference in this world.

The verse my grandparents repeated when I was busy resizing was Proverbs 3:5-6:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to Him,

and He will make your paths straight.

Prov 3:5-6

In a gentle kind of way, I think they were trying to lead me to ask this honest question – if the God of the universe is nudging, isn’t it God size by definition?

Our Mission this Month:

In your mission pack, you’ll find a row of four white stickers with the word “size” in small letters. On this sticker, there is room to write the size of your choice. You’ll also find a row of medium stickers and a few random small and large size stickers.

Begin the first day of each week this month with that white “size” sticker. At the start of the week, write the word “God” in large letters. The sticker will now say “God size.” This is how we plan to set our intention for the week. Pray for the Lord to help you notice your resizing when it happens. Ask Him to help you trust Him with all your heart, including the size of what He’s nudging toward.

During the week, when you find yourself resizing, write it down. Consider using the pre-printed size stickers to label your action. Are you asking for smaller, larger or for a middle-of-the-road, this-is-in-my-comfort zone sticker? Spend time with the Lord.

If God is nudging, isn’t it God size by definition?