Character: Be Exact

Few months ago, a brother from USA emailed me about his possible visit to India and perhaps, a church visit to our locality. I replied him in a way of invitation to make sure that he does visit the church for blending. Last month he mailed me again of his flight itinerary, and the day before yesterday, he mailed me a confirmation mail of his imminent coming with flight schedule. My reply was very ambiguous in that I did not mention specifically if I should pick him up from the Airport or he should take a cab to come to the Google location I sent him. I assumed that he would call me and then I would decide if I should pick him or let him take a cab. For I was not too sure, if the flight will land in time, or if I would be engaged in church activities since the day being the Lord's day when I generally am spending time with the saints and new ones. 

Yesterday, about four thirty in the afternoon, his flight arrival time, I happened to be free. So I decided to pick him up with another brother, and mailed him of my decision. We did go to the Airport to pick him up, but we vainly waited for over an hour. Though I kept checking my mail, I did not receive any reply as such. Finally, to make things clear, I went online to find out his possible contact number through which we communicated over the phone. Yes, only to learn that he had taken a cab when we went to pick him up. He forgot to check his mail, and so my ambiguity taught me a lesson: Be exact!

As I drove back, I kept thinking to myself how absurd I was. Had I been precise and exact in my words I would not have wasted time, energy, and money. I kept chastening myself and laugh at my own silly-folly blunder. But it was a precious lesson to me. Yes, I did make a mistake, and Lord used it to teach me a lesson: Be exact! 

What a lesson! I think I will never forget this in my life. Yes, this precious lesson on character: Be exact!

By the way, I could enjoy a time of personal and sweet fellowship with a brother who recently has been revived and recovered by the Lord. Save for this absurdity, I would not have time to fellowship with a dear brother as we rode together to and fro from home to Airport for about an hour, and also led him to come with me for a Life-study meeting, and also encouraged him to come for fellowship every morning. The Lord even used such silly stupidity to gain something good out of it.

Lord, grace me to be exact!