Fingerprints

Wednesday, 11. March 2009 by Dan Ryan

As the unofficial caretaker of our school’s weightroom, I recently tried (unsuccessfully) to prod one of our janitors to wash the windows leading into the room. The glass is smudged with unsightly fingerprints—they’re everywhere.

Last week, however, I came across some fingerprints that I wouldn’t want anyone to touch. First things first, however, so we’ll start at the beginning of this story about arguably the most extraordinary thing that’s taken place in my life in the past 3 years.

This story begins two Mondays ago. I was on the interstate when I felt the unmistakable pull of the Holy Spirit; He wanted to me to call Luke Williams. Now Luke is one of my best friends from college—heck, one of the best friends I’ve had in this life—yet I hadn’t talked to him for almost 5 years.

Luke had left me a couple messages about 3 years ago, and for absolutely no reason whatsoever, I hadn’t gotten back to him. And now, on Interstate 74, it had gotten to the point where I really didn’t want to call Luke and have to face my shortcomings as a friend. Luckily, God knows how to push my buttons.

“Listen, quit being a wuss. Man up and just call Luke. Or maybe you’re right, Dan. Maybe you’d rather just go on living without him in your life. Sorry to bug you.”

Ooooo. I hate it when He busts out the reverse psychology on me. Well, there was nothing left to do but take out my cell phone and call Luke. When I did, however, I discovered that Luke’s number was no longer in service.

That night, I had been on my way to a weekly meeting with a group of college guys as we journey through the Bible together. When I arrived, somehow this story came up. One of the guys, Mike, inquired as to whether I would actually get ahold of Luke. I assured him that was my plan. 

“Alright then. You have one week from today to get ahold of Luke,” Mike said with a grin. The guys never filled in the details of our little wager, but I was not concerned. I was fully confident I would get ahold of Luke the next day, let alone need a full week.

Well, Luke no longer worked for the same seed company. So I resorted to the phone book, calling a couple L Williams (who were very confused to hear from me, I might add). I tried internet searches to no avail. My efforts were getting stonewalled in every direction.

The next Monday, I drove to our meeting hopeful that the guys had forgotten all about Luke. No dice. Almost instantly upon entering the house, I was greeted with, “So, did you get ahold of Luke?”

When I told the group that I had not been successful, their devious smiles revealed my payment for losing the bet: I must go on a blind date with the girl of their choosing. At this point, I vehemently launched my self-defense, outlining my efforts to track down Luke. Mercifully, they gave me a one-week extension. Ty offered, “If it’s meant to be, God will help you get in touch with Luke.” I didn’t think much of that line at the time.

Nor did I do anything on Tuesday or Wednesday to find Luke; I had reached a dead-end. And that’s how the matter stood on Thursday morning as I was teaching pre-calculus 1st hour. In mid-lesson, I walked over to my computer to take attendance, wiggled my mouse, and absolutely froze. I was speechless. It was an email titled “There’s nothing like the smell of fresh-worked dirt.” Here’s what I read:

How are you big fella? Dad and I were putting together our farm website and thought about you. We needed a slogan for the site, and dad said he would get that email from you every spring.

Not sure if you knew but we’ve moved back to the farm. I started up a trading office for Advance Trading on the farm, and am also helping my dad/uncle sell Pioneer seed corn. We live down the road in the little white house that I grew up in, and we’re expecting #2 in July. Kaylin, my daughter, is 3 years old now and goes to pre-school every day.

I wondered if you were still teaching at Mahomet, and decided to just look up your information. Are you still coaching? How is your family?

Hope things are going well. Give me a call sometime if you get a chance. See ya,

Luke Williams
Advance Trading Inc.
Four days ago, on one of those glorious first warm days of spring, I drove down to spend the afternoon with Luke. Memories came flooding back as an exciting, emotional drive ended in his driveway.

“ ‘Test Me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’ ” —Malachi 3:10

The fingerprints of God are all over each of our lives, sometimes more visible than others. It’s at times like these when we wouldn’t want anyone to touch those fingerprints lest we were to doubt His presence in our lives. They are reminders that He is no dream.

For smudging up my life last week, God, I can’t even begin to thank You.