This morning I was reading in 1 Corinthians where Paul compares the Church [aka the Body of Christ] to the human body. Chapter 12 verse 26 says:
I get that. I understand how stubbing your toe can make your whole body reel with pain, and I know how it feels to hurt with those around us who are hurting.
On Saturday, I had the privilege to spend a few hours at the hospital with my friend, Jenn. I was honestly surprised to see how sick she was. I had seen her earlier in the week and she was walking around and wearing make up. Besides the limping, you would never have known anything was wrong. But then she started chemo.
She laid quietly in her bed with her eyes closed most of the time I was there. The expression on her face every time she readjusted let me know just how uncomfortable she felt. And the nausea...
Jenn had thrown up probably three times in the two hours that I had been there. I felt so helpless looking on, wanting to somehow ease her pain but knowing there wasn't a whole lot I could do. Cold rag? Ice chips? Massage?
But the moment that made me fight the tears from my eyes was when, for the fourth time, she started throwing up and just couldn't stop. It wouldn't pass. She started to cry. I started to cry. But then I thought, No! That's not what she needs from me right now. She needs me to be her strength. So I swallowed the lump in my throat and whispered softly, "You can do this. You are going to get through this."
Back to my Bible reading this morning...
Earlier in chapter 12, Paul writes, "Our bodies have many parts and God has put each part just where he wants it."
There are so many people doing so many different things to serve the Garcia family right now. Bringing meals, childcare, setting up a website for donations, visiting with Jenn, heartfelt cards, financial contributions, coordinating all the moving parts, etc.
A part of our body is suffering and it is our honor to get to lighten their load any way that we can.
No matter where you are reading this right now, whether you are connected to the Garcia family or not, you are connected to someone. There are people around you who need someone who genuinely loves them, who cares about what is going on in their lives, who is willing to slow down, and even be inconvenienced, in order to be a friend.
We each have a role to play. We've been divinely designed for a purpose and, regardless of it's visibility, it is significant. We are a Body, and every part matters.
Who can you go out of your way to show love to this week?
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it.
On Saturday, I had the privilege to spend a few hours at the hospital with my friend, Jenn. I was honestly surprised to see how sick she was. I had seen her earlier in the week and she was walking around and wearing make up. Besides the limping, you would never have known anything was wrong. But then she started chemo.
She laid quietly in her bed with her eyes closed most of the time I was there. The expression on her face every time she readjusted let me know just how uncomfortable she felt. And the nausea...
Jenn had thrown up probably three times in the two hours that I had been there. I felt so helpless looking on, wanting to somehow ease her pain but knowing there wasn't a whole lot I could do. Cold rag? Ice chips? Massage?
But the moment that made me fight the tears from my eyes was when, for the fourth time, she started throwing up and just couldn't stop. It wouldn't pass. She started to cry. I started to cry. But then I thought, No! That's not what she needs from me right now. She needs me to be her strength. So I swallowed the lump in my throat and whispered softly, "You can do this. You are going to get through this."
Back to my Bible reading this morning...
Earlier in chapter 12, Paul writes, "Our bodies have many parts and God has put each part just where he wants it."
There are so many people doing so many different things to serve the Garcia family right now. Bringing meals, childcare, setting up a website for donations, visiting with Jenn, heartfelt cards, financial contributions, coordinating all the moving parts, etc.
A part of our body is suffering and it is our honor to get to lighten their load any way that we can.
No matter where you are reading this right now, whether you are connected to the Garcia family or not, you are connected to someone. There are people around you who need someone who genuinely loves them, who cares about what is going on in their lives, who is willing to slow down, and even be inconvenienced, in order to be a friend.
We each have a role to play. We've been divinely designed for a purpose and, regardless of it's visibility, it is significant. We are a Body, and every part matters.
Who can you go out of your way to show love to this week?
No comments:
Post a Comment