October 5, 2022 | Dan Low
Do you have a minute? It’s what we ask in consideration of someone’s time. We realize that we all tend to live crazy-busy, jam-packed lives—and that we are usually smack in the middle of something. So we want to be respectful and not presume that this person has time for us right this minute. But we naturally raise that question, hopeful for a positive reply, because we have a present, and perhaps pressing, need. It might be a simple question with an easy answer, a complicated situation with multiple backstories, or something in between.
To be frank, that one minute request often takes a bit longer than sixty seconds. In fact, that initial minute may simply open the door to a much longer conversation and greater expenditure of energy down the road. But the additional investment of time and effort will only happen if we actually care enough to carve out that very first minute.
I am forever thankful for every individual who answers YES to our intrusive question on whether they could spare a minute. They have enough margin and dexterity of heart to graciously add us into their calendar. Perhaps without knowing it, they exemplify the way that Jesus welcomed “interruptions” as an integral part of doing his Father’s will. What the original disciples perceive as a nuisance to quickly dismiss, our Savior receives as a divinely-placed opportunity to show love and care (like when children are brought to Jesus for his blessing in Mark 10:13-16).
As we mull over the big lessons that God has been teaching us over the past few years, we definitely have a renewed appreciation for being present and available. In a world that is still transitioning from being remote (distant/unseen) to being in-person (accessible/attentive), I want us to be a spiritual family that readily and graciously makes time for one another. Whether we are asking for a minute or being asked for a minute, the Spirit can surprisingly turn our bite-size conversations into moments that endure forever by leading us to our ever-present, always-accessible Messiah who joyfully welcomes our presence.
