Worth Revisiting: Be a Witness!

Those close to me know the great joy I receive from helping others. And yet time and time again, God has repeatedly shown immense blessings that could only be found through humility and from the depths of my own need. The following modern story is one such instance, that came to mind in reflecting on Mary’s witness in her own advent journey with the birth of Jesus.

In 1999, in expectation of my second child, both loyalty and confidence in our physician required traveling the distance to our family OBGYN even after we had moved away. Normally, I would have taken the highway back, which made for a much shorter trip. Yet, that day, I felt I was being led to take the longer way which could be upwards of an hour’s drive. God alone knew what was to occur and why it would be so imperative that we be on that road that day.

With a healthy third trimester visit “under my belt”, I headed home exhausted but joyful of what was to come. That is until the sudden jolt and drop of my SUV and the petrifying sound of a complete tire blowout. Riding it forward to stabilize, then finding the shoulder I had avoided a almost certain collision had I been on the highway. Having witnessed the incident, two other drivers would offer assistance. One of which, seeing my condition walked with us to a nearby home set back a ways from the main road. If she had been in a hurry that day, her calm, kind disposition did not indicate.

Just imagine, if you can, the sight of a very expectant mother knocking on your door with a toddler in hand. Would you welcome their unplanned visit? To my surprise not only did this family offer the use of their phone, but opened their home and hearts as well. With hot cocoa and cookies in hand, we took a seat at the family table and conversed at length while awaiting my husband’s hurried arrival. We spoke, however, not as strangers but as if we were family and had known each other our whole lives.

Some years ago, my dear friend Barbara who had answered my need that day with a warm smile went home to Jesus. In offering a generous heart to all, she lived her life as a witness to the self-sacrificing love and joy of Christ. Because of her, our families have together celebrated numerous weddings, births and deaths. Through it all, we always loved a tremendous sharing of life and the delight in conversation.

As an interesting footnote, Barbara’s daughter Jeanne was to be the maternity nurse on duty for both of the birth of my younger sons. God knew the blessing that we would each receive, and it was certainly not by chance that we met. As I grow older I realize that sometimes it is in our greatest weakness and need that God is able to bless us the most. This Christmas, may you all truly be a witness, as Barbara was, and welcome in the passerby.