You Never Know

When I was in seminary, a professor gave us good advice that I used to shape my ministry for forty years. He said, “When you are really busy in your study, your to-do list is quite long, and someone knocks on your door and asks if you have a minute to talk, don’t consider that an interruption of ministry, but an opportunity for ministry.” Often people would say to me, “Thanks for talking. I know you’re busy so I’ll let you get back to work.” I tried never to be too busy to listen to someone who needed to talk. I hope people felt heard over the years.

As my wife and I watched Wake Up Dead Man, the third movie in the series called Knives Out, I thought about my professor’s advice. A young priest is assigned to a troubled parish. As he wrestles with guilt from his past, he and the community are faced with a murder that seems unsolvable. The renowned detective Benoit Blanc is called in to solve the mystery and enlists the priest’s help. In one scene, the priest is tracking down a promising lead in a phone call with a very talkative woman. Both the priest and the detective are noticeably perturbed as she chatters non-stop. However, the priest’s mood instantly changes when the woman begins to cry and asks, “Will you pray for me?” Much to the detective’s irritation, the priest goes into another room for quite a while as he continues to listen and pray for the woman. As one review puts it, “Accused of a murder he did not commit — pursued by police and facing prison — he chooses to be fully present with someone in pain, listening, praying, and offering care. What matters is not clearing his name in that moment, but the vulnerable person on the other end of the line. He treats the woman not as a tool but as a human being worthy of love.” A friend and I agreed this movie is the best of the three in the series. He said, “I thought that for a secular who-done-it, it was the best description of what a priest should be I’ve ever seen.” As my professor told us, the priest saw the interruption for what it could be, an opportunity for ministry.

You don’t have to be a minister or priest to find opportunities for ministry and caring. According to the popular saying, “Be kind, because you never know what someone else is going through. A thoughtful word, a small gesture, or simply showing up with compassion can make all the difference.” Why not look for opportunities to be kind? That might mean asking the tired cashier at the grocery store how he or she is doing or setting aside your to-do list to provide a listening ear or a comforting presence. After all, you never know what opportunity might present itself for you to be kind and make a difference.