Working the Phones

When I was 24 years old and finishing up my bachelor's degree after my time in the Marine Corps, I worked a number of different jobs.  One of them was as a customer service representative for Penske Auto Centers.

What does a customer service representative do you might ask???  You answer the following type of calls:

• If one of our auto shops forgot to put oil in your engine after an oil change, or forgot to secure the oil plug in your oil pan (yes that did happen and more often than you would think possible) and your engine seized up 5 miles from the shop due to a lack of oil...
• Or, if a technician did not remember to put the lug nuts on the wheels after changing them, or didn't tighten them enough to secure them, and then while a you the customer were driving down the highway some time afterward and suddenly your wheel literally flies off and bounces into oncoming traffic (I can only picture this one in my mind...but it did happen...more than once)...

...and when you the customer finally made it back to the auto center in all of your fury and frustration, the person at the counter would simply point up to a sign  that had a 1-800 # on it and said "call them".

Well, you guessed it...I was on the other end of that line.  Yes, this was a ridiculous job for sure.  For 8-10 hours a day, I would receive these and other phone calls with all sorts of complaints...it was not a job for the faint of heart or the meek.  Yet, it paid pretty well and helped pay for college.

Well, last week I had the privilege of being on the phones once again, but this time it was for the annual "prayer and share line"  our local Christian radio station was offering to the listening public.  If listeners had struggles, needs, or general prayer requests  they wanted to share with someone, Joy FM had lined up roughly 30 local pastors and counselors to answer phones and provide encouragement and prayer for those who called.

About 500 people called in and were prayed for throughout the morning, which is a GREAT service to have provided.  I am not sure how many folks I talked to, but as I listened for their expressed needs, I also prayerfully listened for other needs as well.  I tried to offer some encouragement and, in addition, some possible "next steps", hoping that this phone call was just a "first step" of faith for them as they are seeking to draw near to God.  James 4:8 says: 

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 

I tried to affirm to each caller how important it was for them to take an additional step toward God after the phone call, knowing that God was waiting and wanting to respond.  Another verse that is related directly to this is Jeremiah 29:13:

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

These are some of my favorite verses in Scripture and they encourage me all the time.  I pray today that they might be of encouragement to you as you are invited draw near to God and to find Him as well.