Grace Happens

More than 20 years ago, while living in Manhattan, I experienced an encounter that stays with me to this day. I was crossing 6th Avenue during lunch hour on 23rd street. Sixth Avenue is a wide one-way street, spanning four car lanes and two bus lanes. When the traffic is moving, it creates a formidable wall of rushing vehicles.

As I was crossing the street, I passed a woman who was moving slower than I was, and, by my calculations of the blinking "Don't Walk" sign, I knew that she was not going to make it to the curb before the lights changed. I also noticed a cab driver on the far corner lane who was filling out a chart, unaware of the woman. Without thinking, I stood in front of the taxi. My sudden change of motion caught the driver's attention. I pointed to the woman who was close to entering his forward field as the light changed. The sea of cars surged forward beside us. Startled, he acknowledged to me that he would wait her out. The woman saw that she was safe and I simply moved on.

This happened very quickly, without fanfare—a simple moment before getting on with the day. I took three steps on the curb and was suddenly aware of a peculiar draft of air. I stopped again, surprised by the shift in atmosphere. It seemed to gently surround me, creating a stillness, a kind of tender embrace, even in the midst of the lunch hour bustle.

The sensation felt like a hand passing through me, gently calming all the molecules of my being, communicating a well being and ultimate logic—a universal love that transcends the words I am using.
At the time, I thought of it as a message—an affirmation—for the direction I was taking, for the direction I was going was far different than the course I had been on. I needed to feel affirmed —truth be told—because I was moving out of free lance film production to ministry—a counter-intuitive leap, an unlikely choice.

So, frankly, I personalized the moment—I gave it a storyline to fit my ego need.
In retrospect, I see it still as an affirmation, but not one individually directed at me, exactly, nor any kind of confirmation of my worth or designation or choosing from "above." It was merely a moment when I was open enough, when my will aligned with the grace that permeates the world.

(exerpted and slightly adapted from a sermon delivered at UUFHC -- sermon archive: http://www.uufhc.net/)