There I was minding my own business; when....

     Minding my own business has brought me trouble and blessings.  Minding other's business has brought me trouble.  Minding God's business has brought me blessings.  When I am minding God's business, how am I blessing others?  Surely you and I examine the lives of those around us.  Why do we do that?  Comparing will never get your anywhere but trouble.  Just what is it that God wants us to do instead of creating trouble?
     Because we are charged with loving God and then loving others like God loves us.  I don't like to fail.  I don't think most people like to fail.  However, that is just what I do every day and will do so until I go to heaven.  I'm not perfect.  Don't expect perfect and you won't be dismayed.  There are days where I ask at the end of the day: "What happened?!"  It's difficult to love God and others when you and I are full of ourselves.
     What happens in our lives that show our failure is how we have not surrendered our lives to Him.  Jesus says that we can be that person that does the will of God if we will die to self.  Minding my own business means that we haven't surrendered our lives.  Perhaps the task is something that is too big to accomplish in our minds.  Maybe we see the finished painting but don't know how to get there. 
     Perhaps if we looked at all of this from a realistic view we wouldn't give up.  When the task appears too big or impossible we often give up.  Jesus was very clear in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew) that we are to take our life in Christ seriously.  He was also aware of the failings of every man and woman.  So, Jesus made a way out.  He said, "Take no thought of tomorrow..."  That leaves us with yesterday and today.  Jesus tells us that there is nothing to do that can change yesterday.
     That leaves us with today.  There I was minding my own business when today happened.  I like that.  Perhaps we can even go so far as to limit the time to one hour.  Maybe, just maybe, I can do God's business one hour at a time.  In case that doesn't work, I can try for every minute.  The honest truth is that as selfish and biased individuals we cannot mind any one's business but our own. 
     Surrendering to the truth is difficult.  At least it is for me.  The truth is that I am not able to breath without the grace and will of God.  Yet, we take that for granted.  The truth is I cannot see, hear, taste, feel or even think without the grace and love of God.  When we practice true surrender we become impatient with ourselves and God.  Impatience leads to feeling of "I must do something."  That's not what God wants.  God wants us to surrender every day and every hour and every minute to him...so he can bless us.
     We are taught to live life backwards.  We think and act before we ask God what he wants us to do.  It's like we wash our cars to make it rain.  We leave the house messy so that people can drop in.   Living like this gives us this desire to do something and wonder if it was God's will later.  Then, in our boasting, we claim that what we said or did was from God.  You have done this just as I have done this. 
     Minding my own business is not what God wants from us.  God wants us to mind his business and do his business and say his business.  He cannot have his will completed unless we put ours aside and tend to his.  Should we dare to do this there will be consequences.  We would find peace in doing his will.  We would find people not understanding our actions and inaction's.  We would see the hand of God move in many different manners. 
     So, there I was minding God's business when his will was worked out in my life and the lives of those around me.  That sounds much better.  Lord help me to surrender so that I actually do what I speak of.  Amen.