I was cranky Saturday. Our plans to spend a rare three-day weekend at our cabin with our kids fell apart. Work for me and social obligations for our son and daughter carved big holes into our mini-reunion, and I resented the heck out of it. We all managed to be there together there for a day, but the only full-weekend resident was my wife.
I’m a freelance photographer and video shooter. That means when there’s work, I gotta work, like it or not. So despite my grumbling, I trudged downtown Saturday afternoon to shoot stills of a dance competition. I only get paid if the participants want the images, but I’d promised a friend that I’d do it. No one said I had to like it; I just had to live up to my obligation to be there.
During a break between sessions, I had time to grab a sandwich for dinner. As I walked back toward the ballroom, I noticed a wallet lying in the dirt next to the sidewalk. Fanned out above it were some credit cards, discount cards, and a driver’s license. My first instinct was to leave it; it probably fell out of the car when someone parked there, and the owner would surely return soon to retrieve it. But I asked myself, what if they don’t know that it’s gone? What if someone with less than honest intentions passed by and spied all those credit cards, and a social security card to boot? I decided to take it.
Scooping up the wallet I stuffed the cards back inside. All the cash was gone. I examined the name on the cards and license; they all matched. A mid-twenties married woman from Washington State was the owner. The license had her address, but no phone number. I wasn’t about to mail it. That would take too long. How could I possibly get in touch with this person quickly?
Her car insurance card had a toll-free number. I called it and explained the situation to the customer service rep. She dialed her customer, and in turn, the customer dialed me. Within an hour the wallet was safely back in her hands. It seems it was stolen in a city park the day before. She was elated, and I felt pretty good about it too. After she left, I began to think about the circumstances that led up to me finding the wallet. I had been cranky. I didn’t want to cover the event. I almost begged off, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.
It dawned on me that God wanted me there. It had little or nothing to do with taking dance pictures. It had nothing to do with me picking up a couple of extra bucks working on a Saturday It had everything to do with me being His conduit for a minor miracle. He knew she needed that wallet back, and I got the assignment. Whether or not I make a dime from the photo shoot, I’m glad I followed through on my commitment.
The lesson for me was, too often I harbor the belief that I “know” why I shouldn’t go somewhere. It won’t do me any good. What do I get out of it? Why should I go? I can spend my time better elsewhere...at least that’s what I think. Much like Jonah, I haven’t a clue what is best or why I should step out even when I don’t want to. Blessedly, my loving Father knows better. When I choose to pay more attention to Him than to myself, the result is always good, and always what’s really best for me.