The Case of the Missing Purse

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right’” (James 2:8).

“Out of respect for the speaker, everyone please turn their cell phones to silent.”

Yesterday, I was at a monthly luncheon I attend, and wanted to be respectful of the speaker, so obediently, I looked for my purse under the table, where I’d put my cell phone. To my shock, the purse was not there.

Where did I put it? I happened to be a table hostess, so I didn’t want this dilemma to affect my job, and tried to remain calm. The ladies still read the concern on my face, and attempted to retrace steps with me hoping to solve the mystery.

“Did you leave it in the car?” I knew I didn’t.

“Did you leave it in the ladies room?” That was possible, so I went back and checked the bathroom.

Twice.

Not there.

“Did you lay it down somewhere in the room?” Another possibility, so I checked an area of the room where I visited with some folks, and did not see it.

There was no time left for the search. The program was about to start, and all I could do was pray, and try not to worry. A friend of mine, across the table, looked at me with a concerned, compassionate face, and I knew she was praying. I also prayed, and felt the Holy Spirit tell me, “The purse is somewhere in the room. Don’t worry.”

So I attempted to listen to the still, quiet voice, and directed my thoughts to the powerful speaker, with an amazing testimony. I did pretty good until the end, when the worried thoughts crept back into my brain.

There are credit cards and cash in my purse. If it’s stolen, I will have to cancel all those and replace them.

The key fob for my car is in there. What if the car is gone?

I will have to file a police report.

I have no way home. Who will give me a ride?

The thoughts kept swirling. I wasn’t listening to the Holy Spirit anymore. I lost my connection, and was pressing into my humanness.

The speaker completed her message, and the woman in charge of the luncheon got up and made the announcement I’d been waiting for. “Someone has lost their purse. Look around you, and if there is a purse that does not belong to you, please let us know.”

Maybe two seconds later, a woman in another part of the room, held up my purse, and we realized a mysterious purse below our table was hers. She had accidentally swapped them out. The case of the missing purse was solved.

The soft voice telling me not to worry was correct. My purse was in the room.

Why didn’t I listen? Why is it that we trust our own thoughts over the clear direction of God? Today I ask for forgiveness.

I left the luncheon relieved, but worn out from the worrying. I remembered what Jesus said, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” I am sure I lost an hour because of my distress.

When I arrived at my next destination, and got out of the car, I looked down and saw a cell phone lying in the parking lot. My mind immediately went back to the purse I thought I’d lost, and once again I heard the small, still voice.

Lisa, when your purse was missing, you prayed someone would find it, and bring it back to you. Now, what are you going to do? I realized it was time to love my neighbor as myself.

So, I picked the cell phone up, and proceeded to go into every office in the building to find the owner. Fortunately, someone had texted her, so I had the name. On the fifth office I visited, the receptionist said, “Yes, she’s here, and thanked me for bringing the phone to her.”

I wondered, Was she worried like I was? Was she praying?

I will never know, but I learned two lessons yesterday. Trust the Holy Spirit’s voice, and treat others as you would like to be treated. Go out of your way to help.

When Jesus was asked what the two greatest commandments are, what did he say? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…..and the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

When we love our neighbor like ourselves, we are loving God at the same time.

Who do you need to love as yourself today? Who in your life needs a little extra help? You never know. One day you may be in their shoes. (LBW)