An Important Meeting

An Important Meeting

[Jesus said,] “You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.” Matthew 10:18-20

Caroline stood on the Metro North platform waiting for the 7:02 out of Mount Kisco, New York. She would have a fifty-five-minute ride to Grand Central Station. From there she would attend a meeting she was not looking forward to. The company was going to make changes, and no one at her branch seemed to know what that meant.

When the train arrived, she filed in with the rest of the passengers. Caroline stared out the window, paying no attention as those from the next stops got on and the seat next to her became occupied.

Finally, she pulled her Bible out of her briefcase and turned to Matthew 10:19: “When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.”

She smiled. I’m not going to be arrested, she thought. This is just a meeting.

“Are you reading the Koran?” the woman next to her asked.

“No, I’m reading God’s Word,” Caroline replied.

“How interesting,” the woman replied. “I read the Koran each morning. My day goes better if I start with it.”

Caroline closed her Bible and held it out to the young Muslim. “Would you like to have this to compare to the Koran?” she asked.

The woman paused for only a moment. “Thank you. I would,” she said. “Where were you reading?”

Caroline opened to Matthew 10, then turned back several pages. “You might like to start here at chapter 1 of Matthew. It begins with the genealogy from Abraham and then goes into the birth of Jesus.”

The young woman nodded and began reading.

Caroline smiled. Why am I worrying about the meeting? It’s going to be a piece of cake. And she settled against the window. —SANDRA

Lord, I worry about business meetings, family gatherings, church retreats—anything calling for a response from me. Help me to remember that you go before me and will speak through me when I ask.

The Holy Bible is an abyss. It is impossible to explain how profound it is, impossible to explain how simple it is.

—ERNEST HELLO (1828–1885), FRENCH CRITIC AND ESSAYIST