So I dream that I have a meeting with Ed, who I only know thru a mutual friend. He's not a client, but has asked me to do a valuation on his real estate business. I begin to explain the work involved, and it's clear that he is expecting me to do it for free. Again, I explain why I just can't do it for free, and he drops the financial statements down on the desk, and goes to take a call from someone. I look at the statement and see that his profit last year was $617,000! That's a lot!! I've only had a handful of clients who ever earned that kind of money in a year.
When Ed returned, I told him there was a problem: that either he had that much profit and therefore enough resources to pay for a proper valuation, or if he didn't have that much profit, he had an even bigger problem with bad books and needed even more help. He looked away and said, "I didn't really want to tell you the reason I wanted you to review this. The laws have changed, and I need to update my beneficiary information." And then a bombshell: "I want you to take this over."
And I said, "Whoa. Hold on. Don't you have a wife or kids?" And he said, "No, no one. I want you to have it." And I said, "But you barely know me..." And suddenly I was reeling. Why would this man give me his business? A super successful business? He really didn't know me. And I was shaking, and weeping...uncontrollably, at the generosity of this. It made no sense. He had the wrong guy.
And immediately something else hit me: THIS is GRACE!! Oh, my. Why have I not seen it? How did I miss that it's just like this? God (who, truly, I barely knew!) stopped by my table, and said, "You're mine. Son. Rescued. Hope given. New ending to your story." Out of nowhere. And why? Because He wanted to.
As I thought about it later, I thought, "Well, this would be something like some stranger driving by in a red Porsche, stopping in my driveway, leaving it with the keys and title, and walking away.
And yet, this is so much better. And I've grown so used to it. Maybe even feeling at times like I deserve it. It just becomes so common. Like someone who wakes up looking at that scene above everyday, having their coffee out there and going, "Ho hum. Another crappy day of work ahead..." and so wrapped up in their life that they can no longer see the very things in front of them. Now. Here.
May God give me eyes to see it, a heart to receive it. It really is amazing.
