And for that reason, I think it was no coincidence or accident that on a cold, Sunday night in January, I found my self sitting next to someone who was learning all about having a new heart and loving others in a new way. It definitely was not something I was expecting as I stepped into that night. I simply loaded up my potluck plate and sat next to someone I had met only six months earlier.
Fork lifted and ears attuned, I tried to focus on the many different conversations around the table. There were several different ones happening all at once, but I couldn’t help but be drawn to the man next to me and the story he was sharing. He had been through quite a lot since the last time I had seen him. I listened attentively as he described the details leading up to his triple bypass surgery. A surgery he had no idea was going to become a part of his story or save his life.
I remember at one point, he mentioned that before he went in, someone at the hospital said, “You know what type of surgery you are having right?”
He nodded.
“And what that means?”
He nodded again with all the faith and courage he could muster at that moment. “It means I might not wake up.”
That phrase “I might not wake up” stuck with me and my perspective shifted. If things had gone differently, I would not have been sitting by him that night. I was suddenly filled with a renewed gratitude for the many things God does for us without us even knowing most of the time. I was overwhelmed by the gift of that night and that divine placement at the table. I was thankful that I serve a God who is alive and active and at work.
I also wondered if it had been me who had come face to face with that question, what would have been going through my mind? My heart?
Have I leveraged my life...my time...my love...in a way that people have been impacted? Would I have done everything I wanted to with the relationships in my life?
The rest of the table broke off into different conversations, but we continued talking about God’s presence in hardships and trials. It was the kind of conversation you have when your head knows God is in it, but your heart is asking why you had to walk through it.
I sat there desperately wanting to encourage him and say something that would be profound. Something that would mean something. And in that moment of me wanting to help him, God flipped it and I ended being the one encouraged.
It was a simple statement, a handful of words, that might have gone unnoticed but God made sure I was listening. The man shared this:
I feel things more after the surgery. I have more empathy towards others and I’ve changed. I have a different heart towards things and people.
I felt the Holy Spirit ignite in my heart as He whispered, “That’s why Jesus came. And that’s what a surrendered heart looks like. That’s what it means to love better.”
1 Corinthians 13 is often quoted when talking about love, but I think perhaps we’ve heard it so much that we don’t always stop to think about what it is really calling us to do. Let’s take a minute to read it with a fresh perspective. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8:
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.
I recently saw it defined like this:
1. Love is Patience. Patience means calmly enduring problems, not lashing out at others but turning to God instead.
2. Love is Kindness. Kindness considers others first and does not just want what you want.
3. Love is Not Jealous. Not being jealous means celebrating other’s wins, trusting God and recognizing that the other person may need that attention that day.
4. Love Doesn’t Brag. Not bragging means not trying to impress others, and it means being humble and talking about the other person instead of just talking about yourself.
5. Love is not Arrogant. This means not being cocky, praising others, being friendly to all and not being judgemental.
6. Love Doesn’t Seek It’s Own. Love is not selfish and puts others first.
7. Love is Not Provoked. Love does not lose its temper, does not yell and responds rather than reacts.
8. Love Keeps No Accounts of Wrongs. It is not resentful, it does not think about wrongs and forgives daily.
9. Love Does Not Rejoice in Unrighteousness. It doesn’t have fun doing wrong, it removes stumbling blocks and does not participate in unGodly things.
10. Love Rejoices in Truth. It has fun doing right, says yes to Godly things and enjoys good things.
11. Love Bears All Things. It is supportive, encouraging during troubles, is willing to be interrupted and it listens.
12. Love Believes All Things. It is trusting, thinks the best of others and gives the benefit of the doubt.
13. Love Hopes All Things. It is confident that things will get better and praises through the storms.
14. Loves Endures All Things. It hangs tough during difficult times and sticks it out.
15. Love Never Fails. It is dependable, on time, and does what it says it will.
(List from Barry St. Clair and Bill Jones)
If you’re like me, that list might be a little overwhelming at the moment. I’m not saying those things are easy (trust me, I’ve got some work to do), but I included it because I think it’s a great reminder of what love could look like if we let God help us. It’s a work in progress, but imagine what things could be like if we picked one or two and started practicing these things in our daily walks? So I leave you with this—who is in your life that you could love better? Who is walking through a hard time, or in need of a friend or something that only you can offer? Who is that difficult person you’d rather avoid that might actually need you to not give up on them? Who is it specifically that God has planted in your garden; a place where you have the ability to water and cultivate and watch beauty bloom? There are many little things you can do...write them a card, text them, call someone, help them do something, ask them how their day is, encourage them and just let them know you care.
Christine Cain says it this way: “There’s a realm of influence—a group of people—that only you can inspire, encourage and lead. There’s a plan only you can complete.” I would go a step further and add, there’s a group of people God has in your life that He is also calling you to love.
Only Hope
Comments
Post a Comment