Good morning…
After receiving word of the heartbreaking loss, I immediately texted my friend, “I just heard the horrible news. Please know that Steve and I are with you in Spirit, lifting you in prayer. Let us know how we might come close to support.”
“Thank you, Sue,” came her quiet response.
The next morning, I texted. “I have made your family a chicken pesto Stromboli, easy to slice off a piece, heat in microwave and enjoy whenever. Would this form of comfort feel good to you as you are bonding with family and friends? If so, I’ll bring it by.”
“That sounds full of delicious love!” she replied. “Yes and thank you.”
Within the hour, I hopped in my car. With the perfect timing only God could orchestrate, Dr. Cathy Snapp sent me a video teaching of Betty Skinner, our spiritual mentor. I listened to Betty’s deep wisdom as I drove over to my friend’s home.
Betty’s familiar voice gave me words of encouragement: “What does compassion mean?” she asked. “‘Come be with me in my suffering.’ We don’t have to do anything or fix anything. We can’t. That’s God’s work. But we can be with people in their suffering, and they have a sense of knowing that we care.”
With Stromboli in hand, I rang the doorbell. I exchanged hugs with different family members and together they told me the sad story of their sudden, unexpected loss. We stood in the foyer talking for as long as was needed. Compassion calmly filled the air with a genuine sense of loving care.
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends (Philippians 2:1-2, MSG).
…Sue…
