Respond

Don't overlook the moment, but never mistake the moment for the important thing. What matters most is how you respond in the next moment to whatever came your way in the previous one. At least that's the thought that struck me this evening while being buffeted by flying caliche from a tumultuous wind. We had arrived a short time before for the first of a double header at our grandson's state baseball tourney. The heat was palpable with the weight of it heightened by the absence of even a breath of air, the atmosphere bordering on being stifling. 

My wife was the first to look toward the eastern sky and notice the gathering darkness, despite it being only 5:30 pm on a summer evening. It was unusual enough to prompt a look at weather radar on her smart phone, which in turn graphically displayed a line of thunderstorms approaching our area. We located the tournament director and asked what they would do in case of rain, and he dismissed our question lightheartedly, telling us that if it rained it wouldn't continue for long and play would resume. His demeanor edged toward being flippant, so we went our way keeping one eye on the sky and the other on the field. At the close of the third inning spider web-like lightning lit up the sky, so we quickly began to close our chairs, gather our belongings, and head toward the parking lot. Within seconds, a swirling wind descended and tournament staff began yelling for everyone to grab their things and leave the park immediately. Bedlam ensued with adults grabbing chairs and children, not necessarily in that order, everyone dashing for the parking lot through the one narrow and congested exit. Children were crying, parents were screaming to their children, and the officials were broadcasting to everyone to leave, seemingly a bit after the fact. As I looked to the sky while still moving with my wife toward the car, I had the terrifying thought that we must be in the middle of a twister or at least very near to one. We overheard one blue shirted tournament official say into his walkie talkie, "One touched down." If they had an evacuation plan it failed miserably, and only by the grace of God did the disturbance not result in a disaster. After my wife was secure in our car, I went to make sure that all other family members were present and accounted for.  They were, so I returned to my wife and we wove our way through the traffic and made our escape.

With time to reflect during the drive home, I thanked God first for His protection and then relived the drama in my mind. None of us can control everything that enters our path, but each of us has the ability and responsibility of choosing how we will respond. Though we're never told exactly what prompted the psalmist to say "What time I am afraid, I will trust in God" (Psalm 56:3), his declaration reveals that the important thing is not what produces my fear, but what I do with it. How I react to any given moment inevitably discloses either the validity or inauthenticity of my faith. God grant us the wisdom and courage to respond in faith and calm resolve.