Maybe I should keep a marching band on retainer, just in case

I love hearing stories about bits of writing showing up in unexpected moments and moving from “just something I jotted down” to front-of-the-store-center-aisle-display-space fame. Like the family Christmas card that ended up becoming the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. Or the front page of the church bulletin that grew into a series of charming books by local pastor Philip Gulley.

It is an age-old story, actually. God used the technique more than once in the Bible. For instance, one night a restless king was unable to sleep. He sent for a servant to read from the book of kingdom chronicles. Evidently he expected to be so bored by the details he would nod right off. Instead, the book was flipped open to the account of a man named Mordecai and the day long ago when he had saved the king’s life. (You can read the whole fascinating story in the Book of Esther. I’m going to totally paraphrase here)

This perked the king right up, as you can imagine. And he determined to honor this hero Mordecai. He asked, “What lucky fellow is in the castle tonight who can help me throw a party and a parade?”

The servants answered, “Haman just walked in. He’s a high-ranking official and could do the thing justice.” So, Haman was summoned.

Now, the really interesting thing is this: Haman was on his way to report some atrocious lie about Mordecai. In fact, he had just built a gallows on which to hang his mortal enemy. (Mordecai is the good guy, in case you’ve never read the story.) Instead, Haman gets the job of parading Mordecai through the streets and shouting out praises for everyone to hear.

All because a little notation was written down in a book, tucked away in an archive, and then resurrected in a prophetic moment for such a time as this.

I’m not longing to ride a donkey through the streets wearing a royal robe someday. I’d just like to be the lowly scribe who penned that account in the book. (I’m pretty sure he was standing on the balcony with a smile.)  I’d like to write something that pops up in an unexpected place some day and makes a huge, strategic difference in a life or in the world.

If you are listening, Lord, maybe you could use that frivolous family email I accidentally sent to my entire address book including every agent and editor I’ve queried in the last three years? I’m just saying.