Your Life is a Journey

I once met a woman who had spent nearly 35 years of her life trying to please no one but herself. I first met her in 1994, when she was panhandling in University Park in downtown Indianapolis. She was dirty, rough and obviously hungover. She was sitting on a bench, with her walker next to her. Our acquaintance began when I gave her a few dollars for a meal. To protect her privacy, let's call her Margaret.

We talked briefly, and I as I walked away, thinking how sad it was that a lonely old woman should be panhandling for food, God spoke unmistakably to me. He said, "Keep an eye on her." I was startled (I don't hear God speak to me like that very often -- probably because I don't listen as well as I should) but I told him that I would do what I could.

To make a long story short, God eventually convinced me to bring Margaret home temporarily to live with my family. It took us six weeks to help her find an apartment she could afford on her monthly check from Social Security Disability. I hate to say this, but it was the longest six weeks of my life.

She was mean. She was unappreciative. When she didn't get her way, she would become hateful and verbally abusive. If she had been strong and healthy instead of sickly and frail, I'm sure she would have hurt us. It was obvious that she had mental problems. But her biggest problem was the booze.

She would sneak out for a cheap bottle of rot-gut vodka, and by the time I would get home in the evening she would be blitzed. I began to understand how her family could have deserted her. If I hadn't been under direct orders from the Lord, I would have trucked her hateful old bones back downtown to the park myself!

Eventually we did find Margaret an apartment nearby. She would get drunk and call the leasing office several times a week to complain about anything she could think of. When her lease was up, she was evicted. We found her another apartment, and moved her again. She managed to stay two years there, but was finally evicted for a variety of reasons including loud, late-night drinking parties; vulgar behavior around children in nearby apartment units; and sanitary concerns. (Good housekeeping was not her top priority.)

My point is this: This woman's life was a total wreck; she was lonely, pathetic and miserable; and it was her own fault. She didn't care about anyone or anything besides herself. And what she wanted more than anything was another drink. That was all that mattered to her. She had sacrificed her life to the god of alcohol.

She ruined herself by not caring about anything besides herself.

God has a plan for Margaret. He has had one all along. Like all of us, however, she is free to disregard God's will and follow her own selfish desires. Few of us have fallen as far from grace as Margaret, but we are only talking about a difference of degree.

Every single one of us falls short of God's best.

Every day we make choices that affect our direction in life. Every day we grow a little closer to God, or we drift a little further away.

It may be that you have strayed far from the path of your destiny. If so, I have great news for you.

Today you can turn around. Today you can choose to listen to God. Today you can begin the journey he has planned for you.

God specializes in second chances. He always allows U-turns. He is rich in mercy, and waits patiently to welcome his prodigal children back home.

It has truly been said: "Your life is God's gift to you; what good you do with it is your gift to him."