Most days I spend many hours in a vehicle driving. Most days I am driving from A to B to conduct ministry or meet with leaders and encourage them. In traveling in the Philippines in every town and every main road there are numerous churches. It would be easy to assume that the Philippines have been reached for the gospel. Today I was traveling into a remote mountain area of Mindanao, Philippines to meet with pastors from thirteen different churches to assist them in discipling their people. On the way down the mountain I stopped along the road and looked at the beautiful valley floor below. It was an amazing view.
As we were getting ready to leave and head down the highway I noticed a small hut that I had looked right past. I talk with one of the local leaders about the woman who sat in the door way, lost in her sewing. We speculated about her life:
- She was landless and part of the Manobo ethnic group.
- She was so poor that she lived by what she grew each day only.
- Being a minority, she had sold or lost her land to lowlanders (majority people) who are smarter and greedier than the uneducated minorities.
- Thousands of cars and motorcycles pass her every day without stopping.
- She is animist (fears spirits) and does not know of Christ.
An isolated Manobo woman in rural Philippines
We speculated from our experience. Across the Philippines and any other country, we are always quick to rush from point to point to meet our schedules. We are always busy. In between our schedules are interruptions. These interruptions are people, and important to the Master.
Jesus said, “34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’” (Matthew 25:34-40).
Each day we meet people along the road. Many times we don’t even see them. We may consider them to be interruptions. What if it was Jesus sitting along the road? Would you run to meet him? Would you stop to share anything with him?
These “interruptions” are likely the places where we will meet Jesus. Keep your eyes open and your heart tuned to his spirit as you pass from point A to point B each day. You just might meet Jesus.
