_{“And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News to them, too. As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, ‘Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he did, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.” Acts 8:25b–28 (NLT)}

_{There is an old joke among journalists about a beginning reporter sent to do a story about a town meeting. He comes back a few hours later with sooty smudges on his face, and he tells his editor that there’s nothing to report about the meeting.}

_{The editor asks why, and the young reporter says the meeting never took place because the town hall burned to the ground. And wiping the soot from his face, he says, “Some of us barely got out with our lives!”}

_{He’d missed a story far more important than the town meeting because he didn’t yet understand the need for a reporter to be flexible. Journalists must be willing to drop everything they’re doing at a moment’s notice in order to chase after a new story that comes with a higher priority.}

_{As Jesus-people, we need to develop a similar flexibility. We can plan and prepare, but when God tells us to head in a different direction, we should set aside our agenda and join God where He’s calling us to work.}

_{In the case of Philip, he was on the way back to Jerusalem with some of the other disciples, and every town they stopped in along the way, people were coming to know Jesus. But God told Philip to take a different route, and in his obedience, he found God already working within the treasurer of Ethiopia.}

_{What does this mean?}

_{Plan, prepare, but remain flexible – When God disrupts your plans, His agenda takes priority over your own. Ask God to give you discernment in these moments and to help you develop obedience. Thank God for His patience because He knows you’re learning and growing.}

_{Flexibility is part of growing into Christlikeness – ^“Then Jesus replied, ‘I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed.” (John 5:19–20, HCSB)}

_{The Holy Spirit will teach this flexibility – Working from inside of you, the Holy Spirit will guide you as you move forward in faithful flexibility. “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.” (John 16:13, HCSB)}

_{Be encouraged – God is for you, not against you.}