God's Guest List

Is it possible that every person in your life is here because of a divine purpose? Debbie Macomber’s book “God’s Guest List” claims this is so. Macomber firmly believes that everyone – even the “prickly people” as she calls them – are sent to you for a purpose. A person may need something from you, or you may have something that person needs. Someone may come into your life because there is something he or she can teach you, or that you can teach that person. Macomber says that whether someone is a life-long friend, or someone you only maintain contact with for a short while, there is a purpose for the friendship. Most life lessons are learned from these people. She says that even people you don’t like, people you simply “put up with” are a gift sent to you in order to learn any number of traits: patience, tolerance and sometimes even a prickly person can become a valuable friend. Macomber says that we should “welcome those who influence our lives”. She further explains that even people we don’t particularly care for have something to teach us. Her book caused me to examine my own life and the people who have come in and out of it, and the people who have been permanent fixtures in my life. I think Macomber might be onto something! Even not-so-nice people in my life have been there at a time when I needed their skill or talent or even guidance. The people I love have given me strong support when I needed it most. Even precious friends who have passed away, were a part of my life when I needed them the most. All of these people – friend and foe – are part of the “guest list” of our lives, and we should appreciate each and every one of them. Knowing that some greater being has picked out your friends and your “prickly people” and sent them into your life when you needed them the most . . . it’s a good thing!