By John Pearson —
It didn’t happen while she was flying first class, but on a bus. And Janet wasn’t a CEO—she was a secretary. And it wasn’t really about her—it was about Him.
After years of sterling secretarial faithfulness in numerous churches and at her denominational office, Janet retired. She’d cheerfully completed thousands of projects on time, with no awards, plaques, or trophies.
This faithful church administrator had survived demanding deadlines without email, fax machines or FedEx. For her, “WordPerfect” meant retyping it again—and often on a mimeograph stencil. Janet selected a Christian retirement center and looked forward to a season of rest. The time had finally arrived to let others serve her.
No way. This community of seniors was a ministry magnet for her spiritual gifts of administration, helps and hospitality. Down every hallway was a “to do” list for a seasoned servant. There were projects to organize, seniors to encourage, lonely people who needed her listening ear.
One Thanksgiving she invited 12 residents to her tiny one-room apartment where they overwhelmed her three folding tables. Turkey and all the trimmings turned the holiday into a memorable party.
So when the miracle happened, it really came as no surprise to her friends. It was typical of her heavenly Father—quiet miracles in quiet ways. This time it happened on a bus, traveling just 75 miles for a brief overnight visit with friends.
A good planner, even in retirement, Janet was thinking and praying through the week ahead as the bus bounced along. Once back home, her first priority would be to bake bread. Not for herself, but for other residents who needed encouragement. The Lord had already given her the names for this week’s deliveries.
The ingredients for a favorite recipe had been purchased. The plan: small loaves of tasty apricot bread. On the bus, she imagined the warm aroma of freshly baked bread—and the happy, surprised smiles of the recipients.
Then abruptly, like screeching brakes, her spirits sagged. The recipe called for a special ingredient! Orange zest! She’d forgotten to buy an orange. The loaves would not be the same without that special orange peel flavoring. How disappointing—how disappointing for her unsuspecting friends.
Well, she would be back home the next night. But there would be no time on the appointed baking day for the round-trip bus ride to the grocery store. So, her little love loaves would have to go without orange zest.
Not given to easy despair, she watched the miles go by, trying to think about other things. It didn’t help—she needed that orange.
Then the Lord provided in a surprising way. From nowhere, a round object bumped her foot. As she searched the dark floor of the bus for whatever had briefly interrupted her sadness, she saw the miracle.
An orange! The most beautiful, round, gorgeous orange she had seen in years!
She retrieved the golden treasure for a moment and held it wishfully. But she knew, deep down, it must be returned to its owner. And so she turned around, smiling as broadly as she could. But there was no one behind her. There were no passengers behind her.
It was truly a miracle. An orange from heaven. An orange just for her!
When Janet humbly told us this miracle story, just hours after it happened, it made my heart beat fast. Since then, I’ve thought about that orange many times. Janet is now with the Lord, but I’ll never forget the story. Hopefully, I’ll never forget the lesson.
With lots of management years chalked up, I find it very easy to switch onto auto-pilot, making adjustments to my plan, launching trial balloons, or re-engineering key program
When I need God’s help, I usually ask for it, but it’s usually my agenda, not His. “Lord, I’ve thought up these great ideas for you. Now I need you to provide the funds.”
That miracle orange reminds me again that our Father is the God of miracles. If I’m not experiencing those miracles from time to time in my daily life, I wonder if I’m really about my Father’s business?
In his book, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society, Eugene H. Peterson describes disciples as “people who spend our lives apprenticed to our master, Jesus Christ.” Sadly, it’s been a long time since I’ve thought of myself in the apprentice role. I can’t say I’ve seen “Apprentice” listed on any business cards lately. Maybe we should all order new cards.
We know that being an apprentice to the Master is exactly what kingdom work is all about. So why do we miss it so often? Why are our strategies and priorities so bountiful, yet our miracle stories so barren?
Why does God orchestrate the unlikely appearance of an orange for a retired church secretary?
My guess is that church secretaries, and thousands of other faithful ministry workers, often understand what it means to be “apprenticed to the Master.” They have much to teach the rest of us who are skilled at doing ministry, but inexperienced at experiencing God.
I’d like a taste of that orange.
“From the CEO: Miracle on a Bus,” by John Pearson, was adapted from the April 1996 issue of Christian Management Report. The magazine is now called Outcomes, and is published by Christian Leadership Alliance. This story was also featured in John Pearson’s Buckets Blog, June 18, 2007. Used by permission.
