Part of my treatment plan is walking the halls. Usually I am able to slowly walk the equivalent of about 1 1/2 blocks and back again, four times a day. Marcia and I like to greet people and if possible brighten their day. Earlier this week we saw a young man waiting at the elevators and I asked a simple question:

“How is your day going?”

He started to tell me that his wife had undergone eight months of treatment for cancer and she was having another test that day. We talked about the difficulties we sometimes face in life and I asked him if he had a church in the area. He replied, “I am Muslim.” I asked him how his faith helps him in this struggle he and his wife are facing and he proceeded to tell me about how “The One God” rewards him for the good things he does. Surprisingly, this stranger then commented, “I know you are a good man and The God will heal you.” He went on to say that he had once read the old and new testaments of the Bible and compared it with the Koran’s message of love.

At this point, I wanted to say so much more, but felt God was putting His hand over my mouth saying, “Bryan, slow down. See if you can be friends, Christian and Muslim, and let me take it from there.”

The man was pleased to let us pray for him and his wife, so I asked our One True God to reveal more of Himself to both of them so as to bless them. And then the most unusual thing happened. This stranger wrote his name, address, and phone number on a piece of paper, handing it to me and said, “When you get out of the hospital I want you and your wife to be guests in our home.”

Sometimes the simplest of gestures will take you on an unexpected journey.