A church story

So there's this woman I know who generally has a very high opinion of herself.  Goes to church, bible study, volunteers at her church, reads her bible, prays, helps those less fortunate than she - all very good and noble things.  I would go so far as to say that on paper, if her accomplishments, community involvements, volunteer activities were listed, that most anyone who read it would be quite impressed.

Well, due to factors completely unrelated to any of the above, this same woman finds herself in the midst of a divorce.  Given that 50% or so of first marriages end that way, this is not all that surprising.  But, this happens to be her second marriage.  And the chance of success for those marriages drops from 50% to about 35%.  So even less surprising.

Being the go-getter that she is, she decided sometime ago to get hubby #3 lined up.  Not a bad idea on her part because rumor has it that she deals with life far better when someone else is taking care of the details and leaving her to do what she will, when she will, how she will and why she will.  As they say, nice job if you can get it.

So being close to God as she is (or believes herself to be), she enlisted the Almighty's aid and assistance in this endeavor.  And she would tell you that He in fact spoke to her.  Not once or twice, but on a number of occasions concerning this matter of the heart.  Far be it from me to imply that He does not speak to us, personally I believe He does.  Though not necessarily in spoken form.  But that's me.

In any event, she claims to have heard, directly from Him, that a certain somebody at the church she attends is meant for her.  As luck would have it, this is also someone that she happens to be attracted to.  What are the odds?  Truly the Lord works in mysterious ways.  I mean of all the people He could possibly choose for you, imagine your good luck and fortune to have that also be someone you yourself find appealing.  I mean it's almost like you convinced yourself , you were engaging in a self fulfilling prophecy,  you weren't listening to God but yourself, this was ordained of God.

So, girded up with the armor of amore, what does this woman do?  Well, she first chides him on his lack of good looks (always a good opening line to get someone interested...) and then continues that line of thought with a comment about how no one would find what he has to say on Facebook as interesting.  Yep, she is going in for the kill.  A few weeks later, after yet another conversation with Father in Heaven, she decides to set the hook.  So while at a function that they both participate in that helps feed and clothe those down on their luck, she strikes.  Goes right for the jugular.  "Hey" she says to him, "would you like to get a cup of coffee with me?"  Poor guy apparently didn't know what hit him.  "With you?" he said.  "Yes with me" she replied.  His response was.......wait for it........No thank you.  "Why not?" was her plaintive plea.  "Because" he said, "I think you're a woman on the make here."

That response probably would've had more of an impact had she known what *on the make* meant.  But she knew enough that she knew whatever it meant it wasn't good.  So being the lady that she is, she politely "took him down a notch or two" and said something to the effect of how she wasn't on the make, and if she were it would only be for one night.  At a church.  In front of people she knows.  To someone she is attracted to.

I suppose it's probably just me, but when I heard this story I cringed for her.  Maybe it was something in the way I was brought up, or perhaps I missed that day at school, but I never thought it wise to insult or belittle them to whom you seek companionship with.

Be that as it may, this story doesn't quite end there.  As I mentioned, this particular woman is absolutely convinced that God has spoken to her and that this particular gentlemen is and was created (or recreated) for her and her alone.  In her words she is *stumped* at this man's reaction to her.  But then who's to say.  It could be that God hasn't gotten around to speaking to him yet, never did speak to her, is rethinking this whole thing, is jerking her chain, oh never mind.