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The investment firm of E. F. Hutton is still remembered for its catchy advertising slogan: "When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen." The commercials would show people stopping whatever they were doing the moment someone would casually say, "Well, my broker is E. F. Hutton, and he says..."

This past spring my husband and I did something we rarely do. We traveled to Ann Arbor Michigan, on a Saturday morning, to listen to a sales pitch on how we could buy into a vacation deal of a lifetime. We usually ignore these kinds of offers, but there was a free gift attached to this promotion. For just attending a short seminar, we would then be eligible for two airline tickets to anywhere in the United States.

After we listened for about an hour to the main speaker, we were then asked to meet with a sales rep who would give us more details of why this was an offer we could not refuse. Our appointed salesman just began his little spiel when I interrupted and told him the real reason we were there—we had our eyes fixed on those two free airline tickets. Then my husband spoke.

I don’t even remember what Kirk said….but whatever it was, it stopped this guy in his tracks. He said to Kirk, “Have you ever thought about public speaking? You could be another E.F. Hutton. For I believe when you speak, people will listen”.

Kirk and I got a big kick over this salesman’s comments. We then took advantage of this time, to tell the gentlemen, that even though Kirk is not a public speaker, he does have a message that he likes to share to anyone who will listen. The guys said “I’m all ears”.

Kirk and I immediately began telling this guy all about our lives. We started telling him about our before Jesus days, which made the guy crack up as he envisioned some of the things that we were telling him. We then proceeded to tell him all about Jesus Christ.

When we had finished talking, we asked him, “What do you think?” He answered, “What I think is…how did the tables get turned here?”. We all laughed together and then thanked Tony for listening to us. We then walked away turning down Tony’s invitation to buy into his one of his vacation packages.

You know, our two free airline tickets never did pan out. There was some small print on the offer that we neglected to read. Nonetheless, Kirk and I are not sorry that we made this hour long trip to meet a guy named Andrew. Free tickets or not…this was a morning desgined by God for our paths to cross with Tony’s. I call them “God’s windows of opportunities”. I love it when God gives us these opportunites. But I love it even more… when we act on them!

Oh God, give us eyes to see and ears to hear what you want us to do today, making the most of every opportunity. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Be very careful then, how you live—

not as unwise but as wise, making the most

of every opportunity because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:15-16

"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

Manifestations of the Spirit