Sunday, May 3, 2009

Are You Sam?

I had just finished a breakfast honoring graduates at our church yesterday. Having loaded some things in the car for the ride home, I noticed a minivan pull in to the parking lot. The driver was someone I didn't recognize, which isn't all that unusual. Besides, a team was already on campus for a publicized Blood Drive. I figured the guy had come to donate or to help.

I walked into the office for one more chore before heading home and noticed the man from the minivan walking in -- he probably needed directions to the Blood Drive team.

"Are you Sam?" he asked as he stepped into the office.

I looked at his face and immediately realized it was a guy I had gone to college with a loooooong time ago. I haven't seen him in about 25 years. He has lost much of his hair, but I immediate recognized his eyes and his voice.

Bill and I met 40 years ago this Fall. We weren't ever really that close, but I remember that his parents came to our church when I used to pastor in Phoenix. It was about then when we lost touch.

Bill reached in his wallet to pull out a business card and I had that sinking "uh-oh" feeling. How many times over the years has an old acquaintance walked into my world to re-connect and (they hope) sell me something?

It turns out that Bill is a regional director for a company and wants to hire someone in our area. He knew I was here and looked me up for a recommendation.

Help me out on this one, reader. How do you feel when an acquaintance (or a friend) shows up from the past and you discover that their interest in you is to build their business?

3 comments:

Eternal Lizdom said...

With this situation... it seems to me that perhaps God had a hand in it. Somehow, Bill thought finding you would help him hire somebody. And maybe you know someone in need of a hand up like this. So maybe this is just God's way of working through you? And you get to reconnect with a friend? Or maybe you don't know yet what God's purpose is in bringing him back into your life right now.

Those are the things I think about when I'm not sure...

Anonymous said...

Sam -- I had sort of half-formed in my mind what I was going to write in a comment, and then I read Eternal Lizdom's comment, and thought, "That's what I wanted to say, but much more eloquent!" So, "ditto" to her comment.

C. Beth said...

I think in this particular instance I'd think it was fantastic since so many people need jobs! I'd hope I could connect him with someone.

If he was coming trying to get me to join the latest network marketing company...I'd be frustrated.