Random blessing

Something curious happened at work yesterday afternoon shortly before I came home for supper.

The phone rang.  I answered.  It was a telemarketer.  He had a very strong accent – East Indian, I think – and I had a hard time understanding him, but I gathered he was selling a listing for our church on some web directory.  I quickly but politely said, “No, thank you.  Please do not add us to your directory.  Please do not bill us.  Please do not phone us again.”

The telemarketer said okay and thank you and then, in a softer tone, something that sounded like “blessing.”  I said, “Pardon me?”  In almost a whisper and with his thick accent, he confirmed whether he had called a church and asked me for a blessing.

”A blessing?” I repeated.

Again came his near whisper: ”Please bless me.”

I sat there for a moment wondering if this was for real.  Deciding I couldn’t say no to someone wanting to receive a Christian blessing, I adapted the Aaronic blessing and spoke into the phone,
—–“The Lord bless you and keep you;
———-the Lord make His face shine upon you
———-and be gracious to you.
—–May the Lord be and abide with you
———-and give you His peace
———-this day as you work and in all your life.”

He thanked me and that was that.

I didn’t get anymore work done before supper, staring instead into space, pondering this unexpected – yet I believe God-directed – telephone encounter.