Life in the Fast Lane

An ethics professor at Princeton Seminary asked for volunteers for an extra assignment. At 2:00, 15 stu­dents gathered at Speer Library. There he divided the group of 15 into three groups of five each. He gave the first group of five envelopes telling them to proceed immediately across the campus to Stewart Hall and that they had 15 minutes to get there. If they did not arrive on time, it would affect their grade. This group was called the "High Hurry" group.

A few minutes later he handed out envelopes to five others. Their instructions were to go to Stewart Hall, but they were given 45 minutes to get there. This group was the "Mid-Hurry" group. They were sent on their way.The teacher gave the last group envelopes with instructions. This group was the "Low Hurry" group. They were given two hours to reach Stewart Hall. Unknown to these groups, the teacher had arranged for members of the drama department to intercept them along the way They were going to act as peo­ple in great need.

In front of Alexander Hall one of the drama stu­dents was going around covering his head with his hands and acting as if he were in great pain. As they passed by Miller Chapel on the way to Stewart Hall they found a man lying on the ground as if he were unconscious or injured. And finally on the steps of Stewart Hall there was a young man acting as if he were having some type of seizure.

It was interesting that of the first group, no one stopped to help, much less act as if they noticed any of these three plants from the drama department.

In the second group, two of the five stopped to help or offer assistance to at least two of the actors. Of the third group all five members stopped at one time or another to help and offer some type of assistance to those in need.

This case study brings to mind the story of the good Samaritan in the Bible. Perhaps one of the reasons the Samaritan stopped was because he had a more leisure­ly agenda, while the religious professionals of Jesus' day were living life in the fast lane and did not have time for interruptions. Their calendars were full of commitments and oblig­ations that left them no time for the needs of others. Everyone is busy; perhaps we are all too busy. It is important that we never get so busy that we miss the opportunities the Father might have for us. Let me give you a principle that might apply at this point: Interruptions occur when God's agenda is different than yours.