I sat on the floor of the drop- in centre, kids and toys everywhere, surrounded by noise and laughter. These are the children of the poor, who fall through the cracks of society, often ending up where no child should end up.

As we played, a man walked by, peaked in and said “Linda, don’t you have your masters of divinity?” Looking up, I replied that I did. He laughed. “What are you doing on the floor with the kids? He asked, shaking his head as he walked away.

“Where else should I be?” I thought, startled by his reaction. A child grabbed my hand and pulled me back into the all-important Lego play.

A few hours later as I wandered home, I thought about the man’s comments. Where else should I have been? I am sure I could have found other things do that afternoon – things less messy, noisy and exhausting. I could probably have found situations where a person holding a masters of divinity degree “should be” (as this man thought) . . . like discussing deep theological questions. But for me, for those few hours with those children, I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Too often I have let the expectations of others propel me in to places that were not where I should have been at those particular times: I should be the leader; I should be doing the devotion; I should be . . .

And yet, the example of Jesus with the children, and the words of Paul to the church in Rome come back to me. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody. (Romans 12:16 – The Message).

Lord, help me to be where you want me to be, not where I think I should be.  Remind me daily to make friends with nobodies and to never, ever have “being the great somebody “ my goal. May my goals align with yours – to get along with others and to make friends with the “nobodies.” In your loving name, Amen.

By Linda Wolfe. Linda’s home church is Glen Acres Baptist Church, Kitchener.