“Hello!” My neighbor said as she walked by and saw me planting some flowers. “You're all alone. Do you want some help? I will help you!”
In this culture people rarely do things alone, and they assume that you are sad if you are alone because you do not have a friend with you. I am an American and an introvert so doing things on my own and being alone at times is normal for me. When she stopped to say hello I had been enjoying my alone time. It was the first I'd gotten to plant on my own with a little bit of freedom to design it as I liked. I didn't appreciate my neighbor's intrusion into my own little happy world.
All that aside, my neighbor who I hadn't met yet came sliding her way into my happy little quiet moment to introduce herself and help me so I wouldn't be sad and alone. I was fighting to be pleasant as I really just wanted to do the job on my own and not have to struggle to communicate with someone in another language.
Then the Lord Jesus whispered in my heart and mind. “Why are you here? Did you come to put green plants in the ground so it looks nice or to connect with people so you can make Me known?”
I was ashamed at my selfishness because I was focusing on the task and not the people and looking to my own desires before the needs of others.
“Yes, Lord,” I said to him in my heart, “I am here to connect with people not just to plant things. Forgive me, again, for losing sight of my purpose here. Please help me to let go of my plans and reach beyond myself and connect with her even as I don't feel like it.”
He did help me, and my neighbor and I planted and chatted until all the plants were in the ground. The final result wasn't quite the way I had envisioned it, but I got to meet one of my neighbors and the Lord gently gave me a needed reminder to refocus on His purposes for me here.