David stared at the airline employee. “Are you serious? I’m getting bumped from the flight?”

The woman gave him a grim smile. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry, but we’ve overbooked the flight, and you’ll need to take the next one.”

David clenched his teeth to avoid saying something he’d regret. He drew a deep breath. “OK. Can you tell me when the next flight is?”

The woman tapped a few keys on her keyboard. “It leaves in 4 hours. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. The airline will give you compensation for your trouble.”

David took the paperwork the woman offered and headed back to his seat as he watched everyone around him board the plane. He sent up a silent prayer. “God, I know you wanted me on this mission trip. You’ve clearly called me to use my medical skills in this underserved community. I’m not sure why You’re making me wait in the airport for four extra hours.”

As the afternoon wore on, David wandered through some of the airport shops, read 100 pages of a novel, and caught up on emails on his phone. He kept his eyes open for people God might want him to speak with, but by the time the four hours were up, he didn’t feel any better about the delay. He’d just wasted all that time when he could have been on the trip. When they finally started boarding, he stowed his novel, stood, and stretched. Still, it seemed like forever before they called his group. People going on mission trips rarely flew first class, and he was no exception.

Eventually, David found his seat on the plane, and they were soon in the air. He relaxed, anticipating how he’d finally be able to do God’s work when the plane landed. He’d just about drifted off to sleep when the flight attendant’s voice came over the speakers. “Code blue, seat 23D. Is there a doctor on the plane?”

David was instantly alert. He jumped from his seat. “Right here. I’m a doctor.” He followed the flight attendant back three rows to where a young boy struggled to breathe. The boy’s mother’s eyes filled with tears. “You have to help him. I don’t know what’s wrong. He had a snack and then said his throat felt funny.”

Hives began breaking out on the boy’s face and arms. David assessed the boy’s airway, checked his breathing, and then grabbed the emergency kit from the flight attendant. After approximating the boy’s weight, he drew up a dose of epinephrine. He turned to the boy’s mother. “What’s his name?”

“C.J.”

David knelt beside the boy. “Hi C.J. I’m Dr. David. I’m going to give you a shot. It might sting a little, but it will help you breathe. I need you to be brave. Can you do that for me?”

C.J.’s eyes widened, but he nodded his head. David administered the medication into C.J.’s leg. After a few tense moments, the color returned to the boy’s face, and his breathing improved. David monitored his breathing and his blood pressure until both fell into the normal range. He squeezed C.J.’s hand.

“Are you feeling better now?”

C.J.’s lip trembled. “Yeah. I couldn’t breathe. It was scary.”

“I know it was. Can you tell me what you ate before that happened?”

C.J.’s mom handed a granola bar wrapper to David. David read the ingredient list. “This contains almonds. Is he allergic to tree nuts?”

She shook her head. “Not that I know of. But maybe he’s never had them before. He’s not allergic to peanuts, so I never thought about it.”

“Tree nuts and peanuts aren’t in the same category. When you get home, take him to an allergist. And avoid all tree nuts until you do so. But for now, C.J. is going to be just fine. I’ll stay here with him for the rest of the flight.”

C.J. threw his arms around David. “Thank you for helping me breathe, Dr. David.”

David blinked back the moisture that formed in his eyes. What would have happened if he hadn’t been on this flight? Only medical personnel could administer the vial of epinephrine. Estimating the correct dose would be tricky without the right training. He stayed with C.J. for the rest of the flight, continuing to check his breathing and his heart rate. When the plane touched down and he left C.J. behind, he finally allowed himself to consider what had happened.

As he headed to find his ride, he sent up another silent prayer. “God, You sent me on this trip to help people who needed a doctor. Thank You for putting me on this flight. You knew C.J. would need me. Thank you for the blessing of allowing me to save his life.”

Esther 4:14

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

God, just as You placed Esther in the kingdom to save the Jewish people, sometimes You put us in exactly the right place at the right time, even if we can’t see it at first. Help us trust You when things don’t go the way we expect. Thank You for being willing to use us to bless others. Help us keep our eyes open for opportunities. In Jesus name, Amen.