A Hopeless Moment Provides Another Moment
A moment to love. My class was coming back inside from PE and another class was walking beside us in the hallway. A young girl was crying with her face buried in her hands and I figured she had just fallen or been corrected about a misbehavior. I walk up to her and crouch down so we are eye level and asked her what was wrong. She continued to hide her face in her hands and a student behind her muttered, "Her daddy died." I just kind of stopped and looked at her and I was hoping what I heard was my own imagination. So I responded saying, "What happened?" And the little girl behind her said it again. I didn't really know what to do so I stood up and walked alongside her. All I could really do was try my best to console her, let her know that I was there for her. Nothing in that moment could take her pain away. It felt hopeless. Words definitely would not have been necessary for a situation like that. It was heartbreaking to see her hurting and in such emotional pain. I haven't experienced losing a mother or father but I can't even imagine the pain she was feeling. All the while, another girl behind her said, "My daddy is in jail."These situations reminded me that people we see everyday are experiencing pain and struggles that we don't even know about. We never know the full extent of why someone may be expressing anger, resentment or sorrow. We never truly understand the pain someone is experiencing even when they explain the unimaginable details.I see about 240 kids in class each day and that doesn't count the ones I walk by in the hallways. I have no idea the extent of what goes on in their lives outside of school. I hear glimpses and try my best to get to know my kids on a personal level but there are some things I will never hear from them.What I am capable of though? Love. [easy-tweet tweet="By the power of the Holy Spirit, I am capable of sharing the love Christ has shared with me. " via="no" usehashtags="no"]I am capable of showing sympathy and care. I am capable of providing them with the greater hope of Christ. I am capable of listening and caring for them. God has imparted His Spirit in me to carry out an act of love and gentleness with them.
Related Post: With humility, gentleness and patience, bear with one another in love.
There is no greater way to express love than by serving others. Putting aside our own desires to serve others is what love is all about. Take a moment to think about these questions. Do you wake up with a desire to fulfill the law of Christ every day in how you love others? Do you have a heart of service to those around you? Take a moment to love the people around you and pray it reveals to them the love of Christ.Romans 15:13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.Proverbs 10:12Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs.Romans 13:8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.