conduit: "a natural or artificial channel through which something is conveyed; a means of transmitting or distributing" (conduit. (2008). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved December 19, 2008, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conduit).
I joke with a close friend about how we (the cafe servants) are conduits. We're not your ordinary, everyday PVC pipe found on a shelf at a big-box store. We're conduits of a living God. We're channels through which Jesus sovereignly and graciously conveys, transmits, or distributes His purposes according to His pleasure and for His glory. We're conduits of His mercy. Mainly so that He gets all the glory. It's never about us.
Our great King used me, and another brother in Christ, as conduits of mercy to help a young man during one cold December evening at Cafe 41:11. I remember it being busy earlier that week. But when Thursday hit, business slowed so I decided to close early and began cleaning when a 28-year-old walked in.
He needed a job.
I discovered he had snow plowing experience. So I called my friend Mike, because I remember Mike telling me one time how He knew a guy who owns a snow plow/landscaping company. Mike gave me the guys number, and I called the business owner.
5:24 p.m. Thursday, December 4, 2008
"This is Tim from Cafe 41:11. I'm calling because I have a guy here looking for a job. He has experience driving one-ton snow plow trucks. You're the only person I know who owns a plowing business so I thought I'd give you a call. It can be temporary. I didn't know if maybe you needed any extra help."
"Is he there?" the business owner asks.
"Yeah, he's right here. You wanna' talk to him?"
"Yeah, put him on."
They talked on the phone using words I couldn't understand. Something about back spreaders and salt licks. (I have no idea.) During their extensive foreign dialect, I made a New Year's resolution to order Rosetta Stone's "Snowplowese" language software.
They spoke their goodbye's and the 28-year-old was ecstatic!
He had a new job.
I wouldn't know the significance of all this until the next evening...
7:00 p.m. Friday, December 5, 2008
I went to Mike's house to chill and join other brothers and sisters in Christ for some impromptu worship. Mike told me how his friend, the business owner we called the night before, just bought a new snow plow truck on faith. He felt it was something God was leading him to do.
Mike shared with me that he bought the truck on Thursday, December 4, 2008. And as he backed the new truck into his driveway he prayed, "Okay God. I sensed that You wanted me to buy this truck. I acted in faith. You need to provide someone to fill this seat. Someone to drive this truck."
When he finished praying, his cell phone rang.
It was me...
...calling on behalf of the 28-year-old looking for a job.
I waited to share this story until the timing seemed right. Today seemed right. Cafe 41:11 is a connecting place. It's part of our mission that we act as conduits to local churches and the community. I've put together a new resource page on our website. Think of it as a pipeline, a conduit, to connect you and those you know and those you may encounter who need connected. Check it out and thank you for your support and prayers. You can also find it by highlighting the MEDINA link, then the RESOURCES link.
Are you a conduit of His love and mercy?