Recently, I’ve had several opportunities to see and feel what true ministry and friendship is all about. In the past I’d always considered myself a good friend. Today, I’m learning that friendship and love are ACTION words. There are some other good action words that we too often used as nouns; like grace and mercy. Often times when someone around us is faced with an illness, tragedy, or difficulty we get caught up asking questions, “What’s happened?…”, “What’s wrong?…”, ” What did the Doctors say?”. From now on I won’t be giving my best advice, past experience or inundating them with questions about the details. The proper response has been demonstrated to me. “What can I do?” God has equipped us all with special gifts to help. Maybe we don’t have extra money to ease the financial burden. Do we have time? I guarantee they will remember and appreciate the neighbor who picked up the kids, made a casserole, mowed the lawn or even cared for pets. These are things we probably would never even cared for pets. These are things we probably would never ask someone to do~ and just think of the financial contribution it is for them not to have to pay someone to do these necessities! I’ve also learned that a person’s struggles may not be at all obvious. We never know what someone may be going through. We often ask the Lord to show His mercy, but are we? Am I a shining example of grace in action when someone cuts me off on the highway or jumps ahead of me in line? So I may be late to the dentist and he’s rushing to his wife’s side for her first round of chemo. People go to do mission work in a third-world country, but do they go to their local soup kitchens to help their neighbors? God wants us to do the best we can with what we have right where we are, (and if that’s Ethiopia that’s wonderful…don’t get me wrong). Maybe they don’t need anything but to be heard and know that I have time for them and care enough to listen. Each and every time we reach out to our fellows in loving kindness we are praising the Lord.
Marie Metcalf