The Coat Hanger

A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her small daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication.
She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car. She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened.
The baby sitter told her that the fever was getting worse. She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use it to open the door."
The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been left on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time had locked their keys in their car. She looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this."
She bowed her head and asked God to send her help. Within five minutes a beat up old motorcycle pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful.
The man got off of his cycle and asked if he could help. She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"
He said, "Sure." He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank You So Much! You are a very nice man."
The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."
The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a Professional!"

Can you imagine if this was a real life situation and it had happened to you? What thoughts would have run through your mind at the site of the biker? If you got past your initial thoughts, what then, after he told you he was an ex-con? I am afraid I would not have been so trusting, even if I had prayed for some help.

Sometimes God works completely opposite of what we think He ought to work. When this happens we will miss His helping hand if we are searching for it with our natural sight. Surely as the scripture says, "our ways are not His ways, for His ways are higher than ours."

Remember the story of Naaman in IIKings chapter 5. He was appalled at the thought of dipping seven times in the muddy river Jordan. On top of that he was insulted that a man of his status would be asked to do such a thing. He was not cleansed of the leprosy until he humbled himself and became obedient. He had to change the way he thought before he could be blessed.

The way we think can be a hindrance sometimes. I don't want to miss a blessing just because it doesn't fit my paradigm. My prayer today is for God to take the blinders off of my eyes and help me look for the positives in those He chooses to use, to accept His blessings, and to be a blessing to someone else along the way.

--PT2006--------------------------------------------------------------------------------