business. What Iâm doing is all about faith and business. Because for meâand lots of other people God took very seriouslyâbusiness is all about faith. Did Joseph have a business plan to become Pharaohâs right-hand man? Did Moses have an itinerary before he left Egypt? God doesnât always give us the plan. Thatâs why itâs called faith.â
Will looks momentarily blindsided by my speech. I cross my arms over my chest to keep myself from saying So there! at the end of my lesson on Faith Without Facts.
âYouâre wrong.â
How can he state it so simply like that? Iâmrevising my three-word list on Will Grey. Exasperating now tops the list.
âI am not.â Ooo, clever comeback, Mags. Please. Thatâs the second time weâve had that little juvenile exchange. What is it about this guy that gets me into argue-mode so quickly?
Will holds up a single finger. âJoseph,â he replies, glaring me down, âhad a long-range plan that covered fourteen years of feast and famine.â He ticks off another finger. âMoses gave specific directions to divide the people up into tribes so that they traveled in distinct groups with distinct responsibilities. Which makes him,â he folds his fingers into a point aimed straight between my eyes, âthe first biblical occurrence of management delegation, if you care to know. And even Noah had specific building plans, down to the square cubit, mind you. Square footage, Miss Black. Just like we covered in class. Faith and planning are not enemies.â
âFine. Facts are good. Check. But donât you see? I donât need to know all the details now. What I need is to get started now.â
âDonât you see?â Will fires back. âYou are getting started. This is part of getting started. It doesnât all begin the moment you fill someoneâs coffee cup and take their money.â His look is so intense that my throat tightens. âYou have passion. You have vision. You live for what youâre going to be doing. All those things are vital and theyâll take you far. But theyâll only take you so far.â Will takes a breath, as if catching himself up. âLook at it thisway,â he continues in a softer voice, âit takes a while to get the details lined up, but the faith is knowing you will get there. â
âDo you believe Iâll get there?â I blurt out, suddenly consumed with the need to know his answer.
âI believe part of Godâs plan for Higher Grounds is that you get your tactics straight before you get there. And I believe,â he continues even more quietly, âthat you are here because God wants you here. And I am here because God wants me here.â
There is a stunned powerful silence between us. Something hugely important was just said.
âAnd I believe,â Will says with warmth stealing back into his voice, âthat those things are not in opposition to each other.â
Well, folks, there you have it: the worldâs first declaration of mutual faith and begrudging admiration conducted by argument. Are we visionaries or what? I lean against his office doorway. âHow come weâre so good at this?â
âGood at what?â
âArguing.â
âI could say because Iâm always right and youâre always wrongââ
âHey!â
Will makes a surrender gesture, both hands flying up into the air. ââbut that would only start another argument, wouldnât it?â He smiles and the air between us is filled with something warm and energetic andâ¦highly dangerous. We linger in it fora momentâtoo long a momentâuntil Will clears his throat and reaches for another book. âYes, well, youâd best be going.â
âYes, of course. Lots to do.â I gather up my stuff. As I head out the door, he calls out.
âMiss Black?â
âYes?â I turn,