The Nudge
Did you ever receive a nudge? You know, from the person standing next to you in a crowded noisy room when they just push you gently with their elbow and then point at an object or in a certain direction? No words are exchanged but if you continue to follow the nonverbal cues you can generally at least identify what has caught the attention of the giver of the nudge. A nudge is probably one of the lowest forms of communication yet more often than any other means this is how we hear our Lord when He speaks. It is usually very nonspecific like suddenly knowing that you need to go say “Hi” to that person over there but there is no other message attached. There was a time in my life when I was nearly oblivious to nudges. Oh, I had those things happen but it seemed so random. Plus, I was busy getting to the next thing in my own life and to stop and say “Hi” or whatever, well, time was ticking by, you know?
Several years ago my response to nudges changed and I have never gone back to ignoring them again. My wife and I had decided to walk a couple miles over to a neat little restaurant for lunch. It was a beautiful Saturday in Alaska and we were within a couple hundred yards of our destination. It was a new place I had never been to and I was ready for lunch. As we walked along a woman in her early thirties was walking along the bike path in the opposite direction. As we approached both my wife and I greeted her. She smiled and greeted us back. As we passed I got a nudge. All I knew was that I was to turn around and stop that woman. I went on a few steps trying to work it out. Why would I do that? She seemed completely happy, just out enjoying the beautiful summer day. There wasn’t any visible danger around, I just couldn’t see the point, plus I was ready for lunch. I turned around, the woman was a good thirty yards away now and I said, “Hey…” I didn’t know what else to say but she stopped and turned around. I took a few steps towards her and asked, “Is everything Ok?” She shook her head, yes. I was already in up to my armpits so I said, “I don’t think everything is ok, is there something we can help you with?” The woman burst into tears. Through the storm we were able to pick out some of the details, she was out of work, out of money, and hadn’t had anything to eat in a couple days. She had decided to go to a friend’s house a couple miles away to get some help. We invited her to have lunch with us and spent the next hour or so ministering to her and helping her see some options. When she decided to go we prayed with her and she left. I have often wondered who she was and what became of her. She would not accept anything else from us and I was thankful that at least we could spend a few minutes with her, give her some nourishment, and let her know that Jesus loved her.
Every nudge isn’t like that though. Sometimes all the receiver needs is a “Hi” and a smile because nothing else develops. These are just as mysterious to me and I have found that responding to the nudges of the Lord takes more discipline than responding to any of the other ways He speaks because in the words of Forrest Gump it’s “…like a box of chocolates…” and you never really know what you’re going to get. Even as I write this I am aware that I am wearing my favorite hoodie with the word SURRENDER on the front. To respond to the nudge is really the test of our surrender because what happens might be a walk-by “Hi” with a grin OR it might take up a large portion of the day. The surrendered life knows that the Lord has provided for all those details and makes the decision to follow the nudge.
The more I have learned to follow the nudges the more I have found that it is completely impossible for the life of following Jesus to seem drab or mundane. If that is how life seems to you sharpen your senses and follow the next opportunity that opens when He speaks.
His Kid, Your Brother
Ken
His Kid, Your Brother 