“What’s happening behind the scenes?”

Remember the story of Job, and how the Bible describes all that was going on behind the scenes in the courts of Heaven while Job experienced his trials here on earth?

Days like yesterday definitely make me wonder, “What’s happening behind the scenes?”

It started like a normal Sunday, hurrying about to gather our family of five together and head out the door for church. We had been asked to participate in a missions conference which had begun the night before, and this morning Pedro and I would be giving our testimonies and I would also be sharing in music.

The conference was an encouragement and things were going smoothly until I stepped into the children’s class midway through the morning. Apparently two of our kids had had a disagreement, and one was holding onto her anger and directing it at everyone around her with sulkiness and scowls. I hoped that a heart to heart in private might iron things out, but unfortunately she just wanted to be mad!

To make a long story short, Pedro had to leave the service to tend to our angry child while I helped translate a Bible story for the other kids. We ended up leaving as soon as church was over with a wailing child in tow and frustration levels soaring! All happy feelings had evaporated by the time we reached home with three tired, hungry, whining kids (and isn’t a good thing our faith isn’t based on feelings??)

Teamwork was of the essence, so one parent handled disciplinary issues while the other whipped up PB&J sandwiches. Naptime did not go smoothly (of course!) and in the midst of those battles of will the phone rang. It was the wife of the guy whose car we had scratched in our first accident here in Chile, and they were trying to find our house based on directions I had given them the day before. We had agreed to pay them for the cost of repairs, only I had hoped they would come a little later once things had calmed down and the house had been picked up!

Needless to say, it wasn’t with the calmest of spirits that we greeted them but we did our best to be hospitable and friendly, and they were very polite and gracious in return. The husband (driver) told us he already knew all about us from visiting our website (it was on the business card we gave him at the time of the accident) and the wife told us that despite meeting under less than ideal circumstances, she wished we were their neighbors because she wants to practice her English! I gave her my e-mail and said that I would be glad to practice with her sometime, so perhaps she will follow up on my offer.

As we closed the door behind them, I couldn’t help but think of the craziness of this day leading up to such a positive contact … and it was then that I truly wondered, “What was happening behind the scenes today?” What was God trying to teach us? And perhaps, does He have something special in mind as a result of this unusual contact?

Perhaps one day we’ll know!