Have you ever worked in the fast food industry? Or maybe know someone who has? If so, you probably know that “fast” is the optimal word for how a restaurant should function.
Some drive-thru lanes are timed, and the corporate headquarters will not be pleased if the wait is long for the customer. That’s why you will see a multi-tasking person at the window taking orders while filling drinks, collecting money, and forgetting to put your ketchup and straw in the bag!
I have always thought about that each time I order, so I try to be quick and not hold up the line by being indecisive.
But one day, I really was “the one” holding everyone up at the window.
Just as I pulled up to pay, I dropped my debit card right between my front seat and the console. It slipped down into that teeny, tiny little space that only the smallest hand in the world could reach. I looked at the lady in the window and said, “Well, now it’s YOUR turn to wait!”
Several minutes later, I reached the card, paid for my food, and was on my way. I was completely embarrassed, and I have a feeling that I am not the only one.
It must not be uncommon, because there are actually inserts that you can buy and put between the seats to prevent it from happening.
It's funny how quickly and how often things “slip right through your fingers.”
There have been many days that I have prayed about having an opportunity to share the gospel with someone, to be kind and loving, to lend a helping hand, or simply just try and make a difference in someone’s life.
While I know that the Lord hears our prayers and works on our behalf, there is a certain level of responsibility that we have to the Lord, to do the best that we can to “step up and step out” when the opportunity presents itself.
Sadly, some of those opportunities have “slipped through the cracks” much like that credit card that fell between the seats. There is just no guarantee that you will ever be able to reach that person again.
It may be that the chance is now lost, and you have missed the moment that you have prayed for. You know, every now and then, a preacher will say something in a sermon that seems to “stick with you.” Now, it’s impossible to remember every sermon. However, some part will remain with you.
The Apostle Paul sent a letter once to the Corinthian church, and with four simple words, he summed up the very reason that we as Christians should pray for the opportunity to share God’s word and do our best for His kingdom.
He simply said, “…the time is short.” (1 Corinthians 7:29)
Time is running out. The days are not long. The end is near. THE TIME IS SHORT! It’s a warning to those of us who love and care about others.
Don’t let the opportunities slip through your fingers. Don’t let the chance slip past.
Someone today needs YOU to be the light of Christ. Don’t leave them waiting.
Pray for the opportunity. Seek it out.
Be bold and proclaim the good news that Jesus saves!
Dawn Hayes is mother of four, grandmother to three and she and her husband pastor at New Hope Assembly of God in Senatobia. She has been writing “Sips from the Well” since 2015.
