I started a new job this week. A real blessing from God for me and for my family. But as with any new endeavor, there are certain things which must be taken care of at the start. Not unusually, they needed verification of my identity to pay me; a very important part of the job. A specific requirement was that they needed to copy my Social Security Card. Nothing else would suffice. The only problem was the whereabouts of that card. Rita and I both knew we had seen it, but could not unearth said card. My only choice was to take my other forms of government-issued identification and go to the nearest Social Security Office. Now if you have ever had to go and spend hours sitting in an office with rows of non-descript chairs facing a wall of endless service windows waiting on your number to be called, then you know the excitement I felt!
After arriving with my papers and a book to read, I took my number and plowed into the next chapter of John Maxwell. Now I have never been diagnosed as ADD, but sitting at the back of this room, it was hard to focus on the wonderful message of passion empowering talent. There were so many people from varying backgrounds, nationalities and ages. I found myself wandering and wondering what the stories of these people were. Quite suddenly, the door beside me opened and a civil servant came through and called a name. The man came near and there was a brief discussion. The employee went back through the door to check on something, leaving the man to wait. As he waited, he looked my way and in very broken English asked to borrow a pen. I gladly reached to my shirt pocket. He turned away and began writing. It wasn't until the employee returned that I saw what the man had been writing. He was inscribing a book to give the civil servant. It was a copy of "The Purpose Driven Life". I couldn't sit quiet and found myself encouraging with the words "Great book, great book!" I received my pen and watched as the man left the building. My eyes were moist and I audibly prayed, "Lord, bless him!" The really cool thing for me was that I had just spent the morning drive to the office - about an hour - listening to the audio of this book and allowing God to speak into my life. Just a brief moment in a government office when God sent a sweet reminder of His purpose and mission.
