The Voice That Came Out of Nowhere

Imagine with me, if you will--You’re a 13-, maybe 14-year-old boy, walking home after school with your buddy. You pass a bank of mailboxes and open up one of them. You take the mail, and then you close it. BUT! . . . As you turn to head homeward you hear, out of nowhere, “PUT THAT BACK!!” You stop dead in your tracks as the two of you try to figure out where the voice came from. Unable to determine its source, you begin walking on down the sidewalk, envelope in hand. “THAT DOESN’T BELONG TO YOU!! PUT IT BACK!!” Somehow, this time that sounds like a good idea, so you backtrack and return the mail to its rightful recipient, in the mailbox. The voice isn’t finished, though—"DON’T YOU HAVE ANY MANNNERS? DON’T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!! EVER!!”

The timing can only be called “perfect, impeccable, precise,” or even “divine.” A ten-second window existed that allowed me to be privy to the incident. The middle school is a block away, and kids flood the sidewalk at the end of the day. Typically, I do not spend my days looking out the front window, but I filled my bird feeder earlier in the day and was watching the sweet little birds enjoying their feast. I had opened the windows in order to revel in the fresh, fall air. The two boys just happened to enter my line of vision. 

In truth, I was more than privy. My voice was the one that came out of nowhere. Its volume and the wide-open windows allowed it to be heard.

I initially reacted to my outlandish response by concluding that I am, perhaps, a crotchety old woman. The sobering possibility gave me pause.

The outdoors beckoned me. I put on my walking shoes. I needed to quietly reflect on what had taken place. An afternoon walk sounded perfect.

Thoughts and questions filled my mind as I walked. What lesson was God wanting this young man to learn? Did he tell anyone, including his parents, about “the voice that came out of nowhere?” Probably not. He would have to admit his theft. Did it affect him, did the experience scare him? I have no idea.

I must admit that the voice that came out of nowhere surprised me too. I had no idea that I could be so aggressive in taking a stand against a wrongful act. What did I need to see about myself?

The walk helped to sort things out. I am not a crotchety old woman, but I am an instrument, a voice for the Most High God. Nothing is happenstance. All things in life are coordinated by our Creator. I said a little prayer for the young man, asking God to use a mailbox and a voice that came out of nowhere in ways only He can. In the meantime, I can’t help but wonder if that poor kid is going to have nightmares, thinking a ghost is haunting him. :)

You just never know what your day is going to bring. I suspect the young man would agree.

On Just a Little More Time

             I awakened early this morning, though it wasn’t 0-dark-thirty—more like 6 a.m. I had been dreaming about my partner, who I endearingly called “Butthead.” He always responded with a smile and said, “Beavis.” He passed away a little over a year ago and, as I rose out of the fog of sleep, in my dream I had told my daughter, “I just wish I had a little more time with him.”

Eyes wide open, I gave the dream some thought and decided, No. That would not have been fair to him. He had suffered enough. And truth be known, had I been given more time, I would have wanted even more. We humans are like that.

From infancy on, we want to be given more time than allotted. Infants want more time to be held, to receive the full attention of Mom and Dad instead of going to sleep; toddlers ferociously fight nap time as they don’t want to concede their time of playing. “Just a minute,” is a familiar response from teens when their parents want them to stop their video game activities or time with friends.

We adults do not differ. We want “just a little more time” when our children need us as we socialize with friends. “Just one more drink” or “one more round” beckons while at the casino. It is hard to walk away when we are having a good time.

I maintain humankind does exactly the same thing when confronted with making a spiritual decision—Just give me a little more time, God, to think about you. I’ll get back to you later on these matters.

One basic problem exists, though. We have no control over the game clock in our lives. He does. When time runs out, it runs out. Extra seconds or minutes will not be added back on due to a mistake.

This takes me back to my dream. We always want “a little more time” with those who have passed. But that’s not how it works. There is “A time to be born, and a time to die.” [1]

And my final thought: “Seek the Lord while He may be found . . . “[2] We do not control the clock. Our Creator does. Do not be found wishing you had "just a little more time."

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[1] Ecclesiastes 3:2 NKJV

[2] Isaiah 55:6 NRSVUE