By Kate Wells
Meghan Lewis stood in front of the bathroom mirror, wet hair wrapped up in a seafoam green, terry cloth turbun. She wriggled her toes in the soft seafoam green bath rug that matched the seafoam green shower curtain and waste basket. She reached for her toothbrush and wished the foggy mirror would hurry up and clear so she could see her sleepy image and make the necessary adjustments that would make her acceptable to her co-workers. As the mirror began to clear, she saw her brown eyes looking back at her from the reflection. She leaned forward and closely examined the tiny little lines that had begun to form at their corners. Twenty-eight was starting to show. And still no husband. She continued to examine her face in search of imperfections, squinting in disapproval at the discovery of each new line. What she did not see, was the invisible, wispy, smoke-like substance that had begun to swirl around her ankles. She was oblivious to it's existence and totally unaware of the effect it would have on those around her that day. She loosened the towel around her head and let her wet auburn hair fall to her shoulders as she reached for the blow dryer and glanced at the clock on the wall. Seeing the time caused her to feel that surge of adrenalin that produces employees that clock in on time. She would have to hurry...no time to dry all the way. And she still did not see the swirling foggy substance that had now worked it's way up to her shoulders. She finished her morning routine in half the usual time and was soon on her way to the office, coffee cup in hand, make-up bag on the seat next to her. She would have to apply it at the stop lights. She was unaware that the mist had followed her and now filled her car. She drove as quickly as speed limits and school zones would allow and arrived at work with only minutes to park and get inside. She did not see the swirling invisible substance exiting with her. But she did see her Bible on the dash board and quickly leaned in to get it. She made a mental note to herself that she would read on her coffee break. She didn't like to miss her time with the Lord. She almost never did. Meghan dashed through the lobby and barely made it to the elevator before the doors closed. She looked at the panel of buttons and noticed that the button for her floor had already been pushed. The elevator was packed and slowly began it's ascent, stopping at each floor to distribute some of it's cargo. She sighed, relaxed a little and looked at her watch. Two minutes til 8:00. She would make it on time. She shifted positions and somehow managed to drop her Bible. She started to lean over to get it, but the strap of her purse slid off her shoulder and she fumbled about to keep it from spilling it's contents all over the elevator floor. She felt like a klutz, but managed to catch it between her forearm and side, and looked rather like an inept football player who had just made an accidental interception. Embarrassed, she risked a look at the faces of the others in the elevator. In a matter of seconds she saw a variety of reactions. Several looked at her Bible, which had fallen open on the floor, and quickly looked away in disdain. One woman nodded toward her and smiled as if to convey a message that they had something in common. Another man clearly had a look of disgust on his face as he turned away and pretended to look at the ceiling. She was still fumbling about trying to balance things and stooping to pick up her Bible in the limited amount of space the elevator afforded when she saw his hand. He had stretched it toward her Bible at the same time she did and he smiled as their eyes met. A sweet, "I think I know you already", kind of smile. "I see you read the Amplified ", he said. "I like that translation, too. I used to read the New King James, but recently I've been getting into the Amplified. It really seems to open up some verses for me." " Yes, it does", she replied and quickly checked his left hand to see if there was a ring on it. There wasn't. And she asked him which floor he worked on. "This one", he answered, as the doors opened. "Accounting", he said, as he made his way passed the others. He put his hand on the door to prevent it's closing and said, "I'm Dan Jenkins. We have a Bible study every Friday morning at 7:00. Would you like to come?" "Thank you", she responded with a smile. "I'm Meghan Lewis...and I'd love to. See ya Friday." He let go of the elevator door and waved his hand as he called back, "Friday!" She kept her focus on his eyes...and did not notice the swirling mist around his shoulders. Meghan made her way to her desk with a little spring in her step. "Dan Jenkins", she repeated to herself. And she wondered why she hadn't she seen him around before. She sat her Bible and purse down and thought about the reactions she had seen in the elevator. It puzzled her a little. She couldn't get their expressions out of her mind. She thought about it all morning. When coffee break came around she sat down and opened her Bible to 2 Corinthians. It fell open to the second chapter, and she began to read;
To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odor, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh].
Suddenly, she understood the reactions she had seen on the elevator. If she could have seen into the spiritual realm, she would have understood the swirling substance that had permeated the air around her all morning. The fragrance of Christ.
She closed her eyes and smiled and wondered how she was going to wait until Friday.
Thank you.
Posted by: Lysa | May 14, 2009 at 03:25 PM