This post is a bit late this week. It’s been a hard one to get down on “paper”. This has been a tough week. Last Sunday, just after waking up the phone rang – nobody calls us on Sunday morning; everyone knows we are headed to church or at church. By the time, I got to the phone, the call had gone to voicemail. I was initially afraid it was some news about my father-in-law who was in the hospital but it was a number I didn’t recognize. I listened to the message and a good friend’s voice was heard but there was a sense of urgency in his voice that didn’t sound good. I immediately called him back and was glad I was sitting down, because the news he had was that a very good mutual friend had died in the night. Saying that it hit me like a ton of bricks is an understatement. Becc was one who I had shared long phone conversations with and was and is described by other friends as a light in their lives. Kathy and I were hoping to see her soon. What really hit hard was that we knew that she was not a believer, as far as we know. Oh, yes, we had those talks. We prayed for her and her husband. They didn’t buy into our beliefs and we loved them none the less. They were family.
This has also been when of the worst work weeks in a very long time. Not made any easier by Becc’s passing. In between the times of work stress, I dealt with thoughts about how inadequate my witness to Becc may have been – I’ll admit it wasn’t always the best. And I’ve thought of others that I have failed or may be failing. I’m still praying for another chance.
Daniel, the friend who called to deliver the news, share something – and I need to really hear him tell me this again to get it all – that if we, who profess to be followers of Jesus, truly believe what we say we do then we should be treating everyone we meet as worth risking mockery and even hatred for sharing what we believe is good news. Everyone is worth one more try. Another friend has shared in several ways that we are to share love but first, we need to find out what love looks like to them for them to see it. Hitting anyone over the head with the Bible does not look like love even to me but have I really tried finding out how to reach others with true love? I’ve read 1 Corinthians 13 a couple of times this week – we call it the “Love Chapter” and we read it at weddings but it really talks about the Church and how we as followers of Jesus SHOULD be! Can we say that we are patient and kind? Can we say all the rest of what that Scripture says we should be? I hang my head and cry when I have to be honest and say “No, I cannot”. Again, I’m praying for another chance.
Before I lose another friend, Lord, help me see everyone as worth loving, worth risking myself for, and help me to see what love looks like to them. Lord, let my words and actions speak the same message of love, Your love. Lord, I believe you are the God of Second Chances – and Third, Fourth,…,etc. Chances. You thought I was worth sending your Son to die and Lord, You gave Your all for me – let me give my all for You and be Your messenger of Love to someone who needs it NOW! In the Name of Jesus, who Loves us like a brother, Amen!
In His Love,
Steve