A Gift

By Mike Musgrove

I walked into work at my regular 7am arrival time, tired and still feeling the effects of the flu that kept me away from work for most of the previous week. I pushed out a few “good mornings” to our guests, opened my office door and flicked the light switch . . . nothing but darkness remained. At that moment, I remembered that my lights stopped working a week ago. I had checked the fuse panel, tested the switch and figured that the ballast needed replacing, which really was out of my skill level. I desperately wanted to avoid hiring an electrician to come in and repair my lights.

One of our guests is a ticketed electrician who, due to some complicated life circumstances, has been unable to work. He has been staying with us for a few months now.

“Hey Raphael, can you help me out?” I called out to him.

“No,” he said, but got out of his seat and walked towards me. I laughed at his reluctance and willingness to help. “What is it?”

 “My lights aren’t working.”

 “You check the fuse?”

 “Yep, and I checked the switch with my tester,” I said with some pride.

 “How did you test it?” he asked with an air of criticism.

 I explained that I opened up the switch and used my tester to check for power when the switch was on and then when the switch was off.

 “Well you @#$#’d it up I’m sure.” He said with a smirk.

“No I didn’t. I tested it because it wasn’t working,” I said with some frustration, due to the third degree he was giving me. “I am just looking for an idea of what I could do next,” I said with some assertiveness.

He smiled. He got me. Raphael came alive. He retested the switch and discovered that my info was good. “Get me some tools and a ladder,” he ordered.

There was a sparkle and a look of determination in his eyes. He hailed Lewis to get the supplies.

I watched with amazement as he did the dance of a gifted tradesman. He removed the fluorescent bulbs, two at time, with the flick of a wrist. He flowed through the steps of removing the reflector, exposing the ballast, and stripping wires. I stood below, holding the ladder hoping he didn’t notice my eyes welling with emotion as I watched a man masterfully perform his art. It was absolutely beautiful.

We found a replacement ballast and soon my office lit up with the flick of a switch!

Today, as I walked into my office and turned on my lights I was overwhelmed by the awareness that every one of our guests has a gift. Romans 11:29 says, For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.  These gifts do not get withdrawn, lost or removed, but a dark world can overwhelm them. I believe that part of our work as the body of Christ is to help bring His light into the lives of others and to reveal the gifts and the call that He promised are irrevocable.

 I took a couple steps into my office then stopped and walked back to the door. “Thanks Raphael.”

 “You got it,” he replied with a nod.

 “Yes,” I thought. I did get it.