Osler's Razor

In the last few weeks, a couple things have happened that have me thinking. 

First, I got a call from someone I didn't know. That happens a lot-- since my phone number isn't hard to get, and people see something I have written or said and want to talk about it. A lot of times, they want to pitch and idea or argue about something. This guy started out with "I'm a financial advisor, and I have an idea about policing..." and I almost tuned out. But, I listened and his idea was great. In fact, I immediately asked him to co-author a piece on it, and that piece is now up at CNN: you can read it here. 

Then, on Tuesday I was getting ready for a presentation the next day on COVID and incarceration. Just then I got a message from a woman I didn't know, Lorri Stennis Brown. She said "I just recently got out of federal prison, and I love the work you do to help people." It was great to get that affirmation, of course, but I also realized she knew things I do not, so I asked her to join me for the presentation the next day, and she was fantastic! The video isn't up yet, but I will post it on Tuesday if it is available by then. She made the presentation a success.

Some would say that these chance encounters were providence, the workings of God in my life by presenting those people to me at just the right moment. I don't know God well enough to assume that-- it could be chance.

But I do know this: it is the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life that left my heart open to nearly everyone I encountered last week. It is the teachings of Christ that makes me want to hear each story, and to uplift those stories and then step into the background. It is the idea of human dignity that makes me want to trust those I encounter. Maybe God doesn't move the chess pieces around for us, but God is there if we allow it. I too rarely do-- these examples are exceptions, unfortunately, since too often I portray myself as "too busy" to hear people out too. But perhaps providence is more subtle than we imagine- and free will has something to do with it.