Key Bible Verse: Always give thanks for everything to God … in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20). Bonus Reading: Genesis 37:18-35; 50:15-21

I was driving a busload of rambunctious boys back from summer camp. In the rearview mirror I saw Dez, our program director, struggle to limit insults and punches. Entering Camden, a newer boy demanded, "Drop me off here, mister." As I braked, he bolted out the door and, to impress with his toughness, screamed, "I'm gonna *#$@! brick this bus." I shifted into first and slammed the gas pedal to the floor.

Projectiles struck the side of our former school bus. "He's throwing potatoes!" one kid yelled. As the bus lurched past our attacker, half a sack of rotten potatoes rocketed through the open rear window, pelting seats and rolling down the aisle. What a stench!

"Dez, I can't believe I stopped in front of a bag of rotten potatoes," I moaned later as I headed the now empty bus back to the center. "Why would God allow that?" I resented the prospect of scraping mushy potatoes off the seats and scrubbing the outside of the bus.

"That kid said he was going to brick the bus," Dez reminded me. "If he had, windows would be broken, kids injured, and the bus a dented mess. Maybe God did intervene by substituting soft potatoes for bricks or bottles."

—Bruce Main in Spotting the Sacred

My Response: When things don't go my way, do I look for ways God is still at work?

Adapted from Spotting the Sacred (Baker, 2006) by permission.

Adapted from Dad Was a Carpenter (Harper-SanFrancisco) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Move me, Lord, beyond appreciation for desires granted to gratitude for all Your wisdom allows.

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter    RSS Feed   RSS Help