Let’s Play Chess

Not too long ago, I invited a son from another mother to move into our apartment.  His circumstances were grim.  Here was a grown man with two young children living in the basement family room of a family friend.  This room was probably 300 sq. ft. at best.  He didn’t have his own bathroom, no kitchen, and no actual bedroom.  This room was his home.  His bed and the children’s bunk beds were in there.  So was his heat plate to make his meals.  This circumstance was difficult at best but fit his price range at $400.00 a month.

Here in our apartment of 1300 sq. ft. was a one large bedroom and one large bathroom with an open floor plan.

I invited him to move in for $800.00.  It was the lowest he was willing to pay. The catch was that he needed to finish fixing it up.  It needed new flooring, a new countertop in the kitchen and some paint.  I would pay for the cost of the fix up.  I know the rent was low for what we were offering.  That was on purpose.  I felt that I should help him by offering him a better situation for him and his young family and stay within a price my husband would accept.

He called in favors from a friend and got started.  Not too long into the remodel, he realized that he would have a difficult time being so close to my husband who can be overbearing and unfriendly if he wants to be.  The deal was off.

I felt horrible about the situation. I thought at the time that my son (from another mother) would be in my apartment for a great amount of time. I thought that God had played the perfect card with the place and that somehow the situation with my husband and him had ruined it. It was my husband’s fault.

The next day after this news, I pulled him aside and asked him what he was going to do. He informed me that he was going to move into my sister’s home right up the street for the same price.  Her place was a little smaller but had two bedrooms instead of one.

My sister didn’t really know the circumstances with this son. And, just before this, her tenants had moved out. Her place was available. It’s as though all the pieces of this puzzle just fell into place.

Later, he let me know that if I hadn’t offered the apartment above the garage and had he not started moving into it he would have just stayed where he was.  Instead, he was able to improve his circumstances and the outcome was much better than he could have imagined.  He was very happy.

Was it my husbands fault? Although I thought the apartment was perfect for my son, God had a different plan. Sometimes we have no idea what the Lord has in mind for the outcome of His children.  In this case, He was able to use me to help my son into a situation that was the best for him, even better than the apartment I had offered him, with a better outcome for both men involved.

In the end, God knows what He is doing.  He knows the big picture.  We’re just pawns on His chessboard ready to be moved if we let Him.