Interruptions

Interruptions

Publication: The Lookout

Date: August 13, 2006

Column: First Look

Category: Priorities; Time Management

Don't you hate interruptions?

I'm writing this while sitting on a plane, and though I'm embarrassed to admit it, I hope the woman in the next seat doesn't talk to me because she will interrupt my train of thought. And besides, sometimes the conversation becomes a little awkward when strangers find out I'm a minister.

Distractions certainly get in the way at church. A cell phone rings right when the preacher is making his main point. A child gets up to go to the restroom during the most solemn moments of Communion. The Power Point operator can't seem to find the right slide, making it difficult to concentrate on the words of the worship song.

You're trying to pray, but your thoughts keep wandering. "I praise you, Lord . . . What time was I supposed to pick up the kids from ball practice? . . . Sorry, Lord, as I was saying . . . Hmmm, I wonder what we're having for dinner tonight . . ."

You're trying to complete an important project for college, and your roommate wants to talk about a personal problem. You're trying to finish an assignment at work, and a coworker interrupts because he needs help with his project. Interruptions—what a pain!

And yet, it's interesting how Jesus handled them.

Jesus lived by a purpose and a plan, but people were the focus of his purpose and plan. Blind men shouted as he passed by, and Jesus stopped to heal them. A rich young ruler ran up to him, and Jesus spontaneously engaged him in a pointed conversation. On the way to heal Jairus's daughter, he stopped to heal a woman who pushed forward and touched the hem of his garment. Jesus turned obstacles into opportunities, messes into ministries, interruptions into interventions.

Not me. Interruptions get in my way. I like it when the phone doesn't ring, no e-mails appear in my in-box, and no one comes knocking on my office door. If I write down a to-do list, tackle each task one by one, and if everyone leaves me alone, I can get a lot accomplished.

And yet some special moments catch me by surprise. A friend I haven't heard from in months gives me a call. A neighbor joins me in friendly conversation while we're walking our dogs. A cashier tells me a funny joke. I take a briefcase full of work home for the evening, but my granddaughters come by for a surprise visit, my briefcase remains unopened, and I go to bed with a smile after romping with the kids for a couple of hours.

I believe in time management. But sometimes the items on my to-do list are less important than the unexpected opportunities around me. Maybe I would be better equipped to discern God's leading if I quit trying to do so many things "for Jesus" and simply spent more time "with Jesus."

Who knows? Some of my distractions might even be the Lord's actions in disguise.

And oh, by the way . . . the lady sitting next to me on the plane turned out to be a minister's wife. We had a good conversation, and somehow I still got this article done.