high five ministry

One of the stories the PB shared in her sermon the other evening was about a youth group from South Carolina that had come to NYC to engage in some urban mission work. I will probably get some of the details wrong in sharing this, but the gist is here. An idea emerged from their experiences in the city when they were confronted by the enormity of the many needs of people they observed and encountered. They knew that each of them had the power to impact at least one person's day in a positive way, and they determined that they should invest some of their time in doing just that.

They positioned themselves at subway entrances/exits, and met workers arising from the morning commute by greeting them with high fives. For the most part their efforts were met with positive responses, smiles and an occasional exchange. The commuters had begun their day in the city with an uplifting interruption. It was this event to which the PB referred as the ministry of interruption. She likened it to the notion of how we, as we go about our business and keep our noses to the familiar and predictable, are caught off guard by interruptions of the Holy Spirit. The interruption is a pause to consider the gift of what is brought to our attention, even if the recognition is fleeting.

We tend to see interruption as an annoyance, an intrusion into our time, concentration, or effort. It often appears thoughtless, and we presume that the interrupter isn't concerned about our interests or the Very Important Task in which we are engaged. Though at times this may be true, more often than not the interruption is to gain our participation and to include us. Whatever prompts the moment of distraction it is always an opportunity. How we respond to it is the key.