LOVE ONE ANOTHER
I was looking through my jewelry box and came across a Sunday school pin I “earned” when I was around ten years old.
We lived on an Air Force base in Japan, and even though my parents were proudly not Christians, families of my friends always invited me to church. I loved Sunday school, and was even asked to pass the donation plates in church one week-end. I was so proud even though as I got dressed to go, my parents were clearly unhappy with me.
I learned that if we attended Sunday school for six months in a row, we could earn a special pin. Oh, how I wanted to earn that pin! But just as I was closing in on the six months, a doctor scheduled a tonsillectomy for me. I begged to have the surgery re-scheduled, but on base, we took what we could get. I missed the last Sunday of my six month’s attendance.
My Sunday school teacher visited me in the hospital and gave me my pin. She said she was probably “breaking the rules”, but she thought I deserved that pin; it wasn’t my fault the surgery had been scheduled at the completion of my attendance.
Her kindness was so significant to me, that I kept that pin all these years, and still have it tucked safely away in my jewelry box.
Nowadays, although we talk about kindness all of the time, we can go days without giving or receiving it.
Much to my surprise, even in grief, men and women often find themselves trying to process unkind words.
Could we all reach out this week and choose someone who might need kindness; especially someone that might not often receive it. Do you know a widow or widower, who you assume has moved on, that you could connect with? Is there a young mom that needs encouragement? Could you invite that single friend, that you assume has a rich social circle, to lunch? Can you offer to run some errands for your elderly neighbor? Is there a child you can invite to Sunday school? Maybe you could invite that friend to Celebrate Recovery even though you fear being rejected.
Can we “break some rules” and reach out to someone outside of our usual circle and give them kindness we don’t expect returned? Would you share with us who you decided to contact?
John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”