And All Because of a Turtle

Last night, on my way home from work, I was just driving along thinking of the numerous things I needed to get done...ASAP. When suddenly, a huge truck went by me, capturing my attention. Then, I saw it! A poor pitiful little turtle upside down in the middle of the road. So I swerved to miss it and kept on going. Almost home yet I knew I was going to have to go back and do a "rescue". So I had to go on down our road to the little church parking lot and turn around. All this stuff to do and I am going out of my way to just go back and turn over a turtle...I had quite an argument with myself!

Then my mind reflected back to a story I once heard of a father and son walking along a beach covered with starfish. So many that it would not be possible to rescue them all. Still the little boy kept picking them up one by one and tossing them back into sea. Come along now, there are just too many, the dad said. But the little guy responded, But I made a difference to this one!

Now the Lord had my attention...how often do I pass by the "turtles" in my life..a friend in need of listening ear, a phone call I need to return, a note I need to drop in the mail, a few minutes to encourage a teen, praying when you don't even know who it is for? How can I make a difference in the lives of those around me? Sometimes the needs seem overwhelming and I feel so helpless. Or I get distracted and forget that gentle nudging. But I decided that If I'm to busy to turn over a poor turtle, then I'm just too busy! How much do we miss in those moments? If this was a hungry child, would I pass the child by saying "Lord, bless 'em? but yet do nothing! What if the Lord passed me by when I was in need? What if he choose not to hear my prayers because he was busy elsewhere? What if he hadn't choose to reveal to me my need for a Saviour! What a difference that moment has made in my life. I was convicted to say the least.

My impatience became a prayer for "Focus" on the "Important" rather than the "Momentary". May we not forget the "turtles" in our path today!

Make a difference today! Joy 2 u! "C"

P.S. Oh, the turtle - you want to know what happened to the turtle! It was too late for that little guy! But he made a difference in my life!