Photo by Hafit on Unsplash
THE MARRIED LIFE
Tom and I were at the Prince Waikiki hotel for a weekend away. As I looked out the window at the beautiful view of the harbor and the blue Pacific Ocean, I was praying and read the Scripture passage about the woman anointing the feet of Jesus. This act of love on her part touched me. And in a moment of gratitude, I asked the Lord, “What can I do for you?”
Immediately I had the thought that I could take on a responsibility again that I had done in the past.
Oh, that was unexpected!
“But I’ve done that before and I don’t think I was very good at it,” I thought.
Nonetheless, I felt the Lord saying, “That’s what I would like. But you’re free to do what you want.”
For the love of God, I took on the responsibility again. Better God’s will than my own.
Why is it, that what the Lord wants is often a surprise, and certainly different than what we would choose on our own? It takes generosity and an act of the will to do it God’s way.
Recently one of my sisters texted me asking for prayers for her son “Joe.” (I’ve changed the names for privacy sake.) Joe has been on medicine for anxiety for several years, and a month before, he had stopped taking his medication. Now he had not slept in three days and was very agitated but would not go to the emergency room. I immediately started to pray for him.
A few days later, I called my sister, who is a widow, to see how Joe was doing. She said he was back on medicine and getting better. How did this happen?
It turns out Joe’s long-time friend, Patrick, had come over and took him to his house, then spent the night calming Joe down. In the morning, they went together to the ER, and a kind doctor got Joe an initial supply of his medicine and referred him back to his own doctor. Patrick continues to support Joe.
This story reminded me of the Good Samaritan in the Bible, and made me wonder about this friend, Patrick. Who was this person whom God had clearly used to help my nephew?
Recently I got to meet him at my niece’s wedding. Patrick was there, as well as Joe. Patrick has a gentle demeanor and a kind smile. I learned he has been Joe’s friend since high school and continues to look out for him and my sister’s family since their father died 12 years ago. He tells them, “If you ever need help, call me first.”
What a generous attitude. “If you ever need help, call me first.”
And they do. When they moved, or needed help with something, they called Patrick. He comes right over.
“I like to help people,” he said.
Love of neighbor. Patrick has a generous heart.
Like the woman who washed Jesus’ feet, what Patrick did will be remembered.
We can all be generous, but it takes practice to have a generous heart. One kind act followed by another. Being too busy or self-focused to follow the path of the good Samaritan is a lot easier. Let’s take the harder path.
Jesus said, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
