Today’s score was one win and one loss.

The win came in the morning.

I am staying at my brother’s house, and a painter had come to finish painting the outside. We struck up a conversation, and I mentioned that my father had paid his way through university by painting houses during the summer.

One day, because his boss had poor handwriting, my father and the other painters went to the wrong address and painted the wrong house. When the owner returned, he was understandably surprised. But after some discussion, he said, “The house needed painting anyway. I’ll pay you half price.”

The painter laughed and told me that he had also heard stories about people painting the wrong house. We enjoyed talking and swapping stories. Then I went inside to finish packing for the day's activities.

As we loaded up the car to leave, I offered him a card for EveryPerson.com.

“There are some good stories on this website,” I said. “I think you might enjoy reading them.”

He was glad to receive it.

I think part of the reason was that I had first taken time to talk with him. I had listened to his stories, shared one of mine and enjoyed the conversation. The card did not feel like something forced into the conversation. It was simply the next natural step.

I call that a win.

The loss came in the evening.

I took my brother and sister-in-law out for a very enjoyable Mexican dinner. After we had left the restaurant, I suddenly realised that although I had left a tip for the waiter, I had left nothing that might help him discover Jesus.

That bothered me because a customer leaving a tract in the restaurant where I worked during college played an important part in my own spiritual journey.  It was through the Four Spiritual Laws  that I began to understand what Jesus had done for me.

Today I had failed to extend the same courtesy to the person serving our table.

I call that a loss—not to make myself feel guilty, but to help me learn. What could I do differently next time? How can I become more alert to the natural opportunities God places around me throughout the day?

Tomorrow I am flying to Chicago. I do not know who I will meet along the way.

But I want to keep my eyes open.

There may be an opportunity to listen to someone’s story, share something of my own, offer a helpful resource, or connect someone with Jesus and other believers.

The opportunities are often already there.

The challenge is simply to notice them.

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(This reflection was written from my own experience and edited with the help of AI.)