Caring for
another is grueling, tiring hard work. Just as the mother of a sick toddler.
Ask her how she was feeling too. She will probably tell you a story like this.
Elizabeth (now 24) was two or three and bouncing off the walls feeling good.
The problem was Barbara and I had the flu at the same time. Both had fever
aches and pains we were miserable. Elizabeth was fine. Do you see the problem?
We would bargain with each other as to who would get up and take care of her
this time fixing her lunch or cleaning her up or whatever. It was great for her
but bad for us. Caring for another is easy to say but hard to do. Usually it’s
not convenient.
The other
morning as I was picking up children on the bus route I stopped in a usual spot
in front of the house of two children. An adult who I later found out was an uncle
came to the bus to say they had gotten up late and were putting on their shoes.
I asked how long that would be and he replied, “Five or ten minutes.” Now I
can’t wait for 5 or 10 minutes and the children can’t wait that long either.
So, I asked if he could meet me at a later stop. The man replied he had “no
wheels.” I looked at the two trucks in the driveway and rolled my eyes as I
looked away. Yes, I know not very Jesus like but I did it. I was about to say
“I’ve got to go,” when in my ear was the word GRACE. You see that is what I had
been thinking about earlier and praying about. Now I was going to have to
extend some, UGH. Did I mention it’s usually not convenient? So somewhat
unwillingly I agreed to come back around in 5 or 10 minutes and pick them up.
That would delay the children already on the bus on time etc. and the children
waiting to get on the bus too. They would not be late to school just a little
later than normal. I came back around and there are the children ready to go.
Grace extended yes grudgingly and yet I had received similar grace by other bus
drivers for my own children previously. End of story, not quite yet. That
afternoon I stop in front of the house to let them off and no parent, no trucks
and no signs of life at all. The children are too young to get off by
themselves so I ask the school to call the parent. The radio crackles and the
school was unable to contact any parent. The children had to go back to the
school to be picked up by a parent later. I guess it was just one of those days
for them. It became one of those days for me.
I would
just rather preach to you to extend grace to others. I would rather not have to
do it and be inconvenienced. I would rather it be when it was good for me than
to rearrange my schedule. I would rather they be worthy of it or deserving of
it by my standards. I would rather…Do you see the problem?
My beloved friends,
let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who
loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who
refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you
don’t love. 1 John 4: 7-8 The Message
The
problem is I want them to conform to me (God and others) rather than me conforming
to them (God and others). That is the
problem for all of mankind. It’s a problem and all too often seen all too often.
Grace has
a way of covering that up by erasing sin and freeing us to live free and allow
others to live free.
Grace is
how God cares for us and how we are to care for you.
When
practiced, it really is amazing!
In His
Service and Yours
The Rev
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