It’s true you know… sometimes we really do have only one chance. People like to tell us to seize the day, but sometimes we need to seize the moment because that may be the only one we get. And it has nothing to do with the current circumstances – being tired, other things demanding our attention, etc. Right now, right here is our opportunity to… be an encouragement, to speak words of truth and life, to offer our time to listen to the other person. Later may be too late.
Granted, that sounded slightly dramatic. Doesn’t lessen the truth. Regardless of what, or who, has suddenly burst into our moment, we need to be attentive right now. How do we handle this? Anger? Frustration? Reluctant? With only part of us? Those are likely candidates for our expression when confronted by these unexpected (and unwanted?) interruptions. The problem is that the other person is needing… right now!
Our decision is always whether to respond to the crisis (?), interruption to what we were doing. And in the decision on responding, HOW we will respond. Scripture tells us to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) but that rarely pops into our thinking at the moment. One thing I am totally convinced of is that whether or not it is a crisis, it is for that other person. I have the choice of giving my attention to them or turning them aside. Grumbling about the inconvenience is never a loving response.
My choice is to know how I will respond… and for how long. Therefore, my first action is to try and calm the other person so that they can tell their story as coherently as possible. Until they have shared what they are facing, they are incapable of hearing or developing a proactive response. Never forget that it is their problem and so it’s their decision as to how to proceed. Our role is really one of listening, asking questions, and when/if they can hear options. We don’t make their decisions. However… we may only have this one, very inconvenient moment, to determine how we will respond. Is this time, a one chance only?
