Yesterday I was lost in a dangerous part of the city. The GPS was guiding me in all the wrong directions although it's indicators were bringing me home. After traveling some lonely boarded up blocks, I sat at a crossroad seeing 2 streets in front that were concerning, a cross street I could see nothing of with trees blocking, and the pressure of cars all around me as rush hour ensued. The street sign warned of an area seen on the news. Asking God for help, I tapped my horn to catch the attention of the woman in the car in the next lane. Leaning on her hand with face partially covered obscuring her view of me fairly obviously, she did not respond. I tapped, and tapped again, looking to this woman who seemed very inclined not to help, likely concerned about my motives. Persistence paid off, as if my will was penetrating her mind, and she looked up, acting startled. Then with nervous smiles she and I gently rolled our windows down. She tried to help, expressing uncertainty.  But then, she committed to support me to the point that she held her car there though the light was green. There we were blocking the intersection, she completely unflustered by the honking behind her. In time she waved me to turn in front of her in the direction she had advised. And out of the confusion and fear I drove.

When vulnerable we tend to draw inward, even go into hiding. Yet there is nothing that connects us to each other more than our common vulnerability. We fear, we are uncertain, we get lost. Yet when others are in need our differences melt away, and we rise up to serve a higher purpose. Vulnerability is our connecting strength. Gods mercy lives through us.

What strength is there in a vulnerability are you hiding?