I was on my way home from a few garage sales when I saw this man, holding what seemed to be a uniform, walking quickly down the side of the road. It was intensely hot outside with a heat index already in the hundreds. I passed this gentleman and could see the sweat rolling down his face as I drove by.  His shirt was drenched, and the restaurants and stores were still a couple miles from where he was.

I had a nudge to swing back by and offer him a ride, but I was ready to get home. Besides, I didn’t feel like turning around and then fighting back through traffic just to pull up beside him. So, I kept on driving. I could see my house in the distance when, again, I was nudged to go back and offer a ride.

A little frustrated at this point, I turned around and pulled up beside him. When I smiled and asked him if I could give him a ride to where he was going, his face beamed with excitement as he jumped into my passenger seat without hesitation. He was headed to his job a few miles into town.

My new friend didn’t speak English very well, so our conversation had very few words of mutual understanding, but I knew this man was special to God, and therefore, he was already special to me. I dropped him off at work and offered him a ride any time he needed it. He was very thankful as he shut the door and walked off.

Several days later, I was returning home from my morning run when I saw my new friend walking again to work. I gladly turned around and offered him another ride. I reminded him of my offer to give him a ride any time he needed one, and he shook his head in acknowledgement as he went inside.

Every now and then I would see him hustling his way to work and would immediately turn around to offer him a ride. At this point, it didn’t matter what my plans were, where I was headed, or whether or not I wanted to be home. I made a commitment that I would allow myself to be inconvenienced by this man’s need for a ride every time I saw him.

 Sometimes we are so turned away by inconvenience that we prevent ourselves from being the hands and feet of Jesus. We see other people’s needs as secondary, and we place ourselves in the seat of honor as if somehow other people owe us our convenience.

Jesus is not a King of Convenience. He walked this earth as a servant and was constantly inconveniencing Himself for the needs of others. In fact, many people were turned away from Jesus because of inconvenience. Consider what Jesus said to these three men when they approached Him:

“As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:57-62 emphasis added).

Can you imagine following a Man who told you there were no guarantees you’d have a place to sleep comfortably each night–if at all? Nor would you be able to conveniently tend to the needs of your family. Or how about if He said following Him meant you’d be inconvenienced by the needs of others who are not your family?

Jesus loves people, and if we are going to love people like Jesus does, we have to be willing to do what Jesus did. When we let ourselves be inconvenienced, we are considering others better than ourselves. We are not just looking after our own interests, but the interests of others. Then, and only then, will we be partnered with Jesus to share His love to the nations.

I have been able to see my new friend several more times since then, but perhaps the best display of being in partnership with Jesus was when I was headed to a photography session. As I was driving, I noticed my friend walking in an area I had never seen him walking  in before. He was headed in the opposite direction of his house. I drove by him the first time and recognized him, turned around and drove by him again, but this time he was running. He was on a sidewalk where there are people running/exercising constantly, so I figured he was out exercising with the rest. I waved, smiled, and turned back around to head to my session. I told the Lord I was willing to take my friend to his home if he needed a ride and if the Lord had arranged this, to let it be when my session was complete.

After my photography session,  I could not find my friend anywhere, so I decided to make a quick run into Kohl’s. As soon as I walked into the building, there he was! I was filled with so much joy as I asked him what he was doing in this part of town. He told me he had a hair appointment and that is why I saw him running earlier. He didn’t want to be late.

My soul silently thanked the Lord for allowing me to serve Jesus by tending to the needs of someone so special to Him.

If we are going to partner with Jesus and share His love to the world in freedom, we have to be willing and eager to be inconvenienced by the needs of others. And when we have our hearts aligned with the heart of God, He will make arrangements for people to inconvenience us in the most unpredictable, yet fulfilling ways!