Monday, June 04, 2007
I've been reading Messy Spirituality. When I say reading, I mean I have borrowed the book, started it, then it has been confiscated on a number of occasions by Nathan and Scott , then returned to me once they have finished it. Although I was the first to begin, I am the only one not finished. I'm just waiting for them to give it to someone else to read before I can finish the last couple of chapters!
One section of the book talks about something with which I identify. When I was a teen, our church went to the seniour citizen lodge and to the hospital. I was never comfortable with this. Some people are great with seniours - it's their gift. So, as the book talked about a man who stood at the back of the room during these visits I understood. But the guy (Daryl) did much better than me. As a man reached out and took his hand, he waited. Something touched his own life experience, and he didn't want to leave the man. But he had to go with the group, and unexplainably He expressed some sentiment with the seniour, and before he left told him he loved him. That was a strange thing to do to a stranger.
Every month Daryl came back and stood in the back, holding the man's hand. Words weren't exchanged between the two, but still Daryl would say "I love you" before leaving.
One day when Daryl came to the home, the man wasn't in the service. He went to the nurse, who escorted Daryl to the man (Oliver's) room. He was dying. Daryl stayed with Oliver as long as he could, but it came time to leave with the group. He squeezed Oliver's hand and said he loved him. Oliver squeezed back, and then Daryl turned to leave.
At the door was a woman, Oliver's granddaughter. She told Daryl that the night before Oliver woke up and told her to say goodbye to Jesus for him. Then he closed his eyes. She told him that she didn't need to say goodbye because he was going to be with Jesus soon. He replied "I know, but Jesus comes to see me every month, and he might not know I've gone." With that, he slipped into silence.
There are so many things I'm not comfortable doing. I try to cover my insecurities by not doing many of the things that are difficult for me, but sometimes that isn't possible. Or maybe more accurately, I MUST do some of those things. At one time that was teaching Sunday School, or going to the retirement home, or saying something in church when I know it isn't easy. Sometimes it's hard for me to say hello to a new person, or a person I know a bit. Sometimes I suck at being Jesus and turn the other way because I'm lazy or nervous or tired. But perhaps sometimes I manage to come through.
I can think of a few people who have become Him at different points of my life. There are people who are what I can't be, or what I wish I was. We are all reflections of Him at some point or another, even if we don't see it. Because sometimes Jesus comes in a subtle way that perhaps others don't see ... but it's not about the masses. It's about the one.
One section of the book talks about something with which I identify. When I was a teen, our church went to the seniour citizen lodge and to the hospital. I was never comfortable with this. Some people are great with seniours - it's their gift. So, as the book talked about a man who stood at the back of the room during these visits I understood. But the guy (Daryl) did much better than me. As a man reached out and took his hand, he waited. Something touched his own life experience, and he didn't want to leave the man. But he had to go with the group, and unexplainably He expressed some sentiment with the seniour, and before he left told him he loved him. That was a strange thing to do to a stranger.
Every month Daryl came back and stood in the back, holding the man's hand. Words weren't exchanged between the two, but still Daryl would say "I love you" before leaving.
One day when Daryl came to the home, the man wasn't in the service. He went to the nurse, who escorted Daryl to the man (Oliver's) room. He was dying. Daryl stayed with Oliver as long as he could, but it came time to leave with the group. He squeezed Oliver's hand and said he loved him. Oliver squeezed back, and then Daryl turned to leave.
At the door was a woman, Oliver's granddaughter. She told Daryl that the night before Oliver woke up and told her to say goodbye to Jesus for him. Then he closed his eyes. She told him that she didn't need to say goodbye because he was going to be with Jesus soon. He replied "I know, but Jesus comes to see me every month, and he might not know I've gone." With that, he slipped into silence.
There are so many things I'm not comfortable doing. I try to cover my insecurities by not doing many of the things that are difficult for me, but sometimes that isn't possible. Or maybe more accurately, I MUST do some of those things. At one time that was teaching Sunday School, or going to the retirement home, or saying something in church when I know it isn't easy. Sometimes it's hard for me to say hello to a new person, or a person I know a bit. Sometimes I suck at being Jesus and turn the other way because I'm lazy or nervous or tired. But perhaps sometimes I manage to come through.
I can think of a few people who have become Him at different points of my life. There are people who are what I can't be, or what I wish I was. We are all reflections of Him at some point or another, even if we don't see it. Because sometimes Jesus comes in a subtle way that perhaps others don't see ... but it's not about the masses. It's about the one.
// posted by Annette @ 10:20 p.m. 
