Some of us tend to do away with things that are slightly damaged. Instead of repairing them we say: "Well, I don't have time to fix it, I might as well throw it in the garbage can and buy a new one." Often we also treat people this way. We say: "Well, he has a problem with drinking; well, she is quite depressed; well, they have mismanaged their business...we'd better not take the risk of working with them." When we dismiss people out of hand because of their apparent woundedness, we stunt their lives by ignoring their gifts, which are often buried in their wounds.
We all are bruised reeds, whether our bruises are visible or not. The compassionate life is the life in which we believe that strength is hidden in weakness and that true community is a fellowship of the weak.
This devotional spoke deeply to me. It reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend over coffee yesterday, and the Lord softened my heart regarding the way I treat friends...people I say I love but have challenges living with in community whether here in Thailand or in the states. If I indeed love them, then it requires more of me...to see them for who God created them to be, to look past their woundedness to see their blessed giftings, to continue to pursue friendship and relationship and community even with those who rub me the wrong way, which means sucking it up, putting on my big girl panties and dealing with it (confronting only when necessary and loving enough to let go the rest of the time...generally all the time!!), because that is what LOVE DOES...
| Love is not love |
| Which alters when it alteration finds, |
| Or bends with the remover to remove: |
| O no! it is an ever-fixed mark |
| That looks on tempests and is never shaken. |
I cannot help but think if we loved that well and if I loved that well...the impact on the community in which we live...where we prefer others over ourselves, where we serve each other, where we think the best of each other, where we look out for the other even above ourselves and our own needs, where we forgive quickly because we know they didn't mean to hurt us, where we let go of wounds and pursue the life of freedom and love, where we stop looking back and start looking ahead, asking for vision for what God is doing now and in the days to come.
I WANT TO LOVE LIKE THAT!!! I don't want my love to change when change is found or change is expected or required. I don't want my love to bend when being taken away or removed. I want my love to be fixed and steady, that looks on storms and suffering and isn't shaken, doesn't look away or step back. I'm asking my sweet Abba for love like that, because we are all bruised and wounded, but we aren't limited by those woundings, only by our fear. There are still incredible giftings in us and things God wants to accomplish in and through us.
Just wanted to encourage you today...PURSUE HIM...PURSUE LOVE...PURSUE COMMUNITY...PURSUE TRUTH...it's all found in being broken and weak!! Blessed are we who endure suffering as we grow near to Him!!!
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