Pebble and Stones: Embracing Being Enough

If you cannot think of anything appropriate to say, you will please restrict your remarks to the weather.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:23-25

The other day, I stumbled my way out to my bedecked porch (see previous post obsessing over flowers) with coffee and breakfast in hand. I sat in the morning sun for the first time in a while, as the weather here as been up to its old slight-of-hand tricks. Sunny? Yes, but ALSO rainy! Seriously, last week, I sat in the sun after an afternoon walk, and lo and behold, there were RAINDROPS hitting the tree next to the porch. My poor brain can’t handle the sun AND the rain at the same time. It’s too much. And when I say it’s too much to handle, I also mean that it seems to be too much for the fibro body. Weather changes make it go haywire, and when you have multiple weather changes in a DAY, it goes into system overload. Anyway, FIBRO WEATHER RANT OVER.

What I really mean to say is that while I was consuming the ol’ iced latte with half-open eyes and a sleepy brain, I saw a beautiful sight across the way. There’s a medical complex across the street, and THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING HAPPENING. Today, there were three women surrounding another woman with a walker, while she moved slowly around the parking lot. I believe there is a physical therapist’s office over yonder, and I am guessing that one of the women was the physical therapist. I thought it was wonderful for the woman with the walker to be accompanied not just by her medical provider, but also by two other women, maybe friends or relatives. I can’t help but imagine her story. Maybe this is the first time in a long time she can walk around by herself in the sunshine. Maybe this is after weeks or months of slow and intentional work in the physical therapist’s office, and working at home on what seemed like small or stupid exercises. Maybe she has had to keep going even though weeks of what seemed like no improvement. What struck me the most was that she was not alone. She had two friends obviously invested in her well-being, who cared enough to give up a morning to go to a medical appointment and walk around at her pace and ability.

I recently read the book With by Skye Janthani, and it’s still resounding deeply in my mind. It centers around the theological idea that what God wants most from us is to be with us, that the relationship itself is more important than what He gets from us or what we want from Him. It’s a revolutionary idea in light of our productivity-centered culture, especially when it comes to faith and religion and living out those truths. It stuck me today watching the women walk all together that when we are with each other, we are acting on Christ’s behalf to each other. We become His hands and feet when we choose to simply be with others. This is one of the most beautiful ways we show the world who He is. We may not know exactly what to say or what not to say to others, especially if they are in pain or suffering or in deep grief, but we can simply sit with others. Or walk with them, as the women across the street did this morning.

As believers in Jesus, we are called to follow His very example, called to become more and more like Him. In John 13, we are given a picture of what this looks like. Jesus washed His disciples’ feet like the most common of servants. Feet get a bad rap at the best of times, and in ancient cultures, washing feet was among the lowest of tasks. Obviously walking everywhere was the main form of transportation, so one can only imagine the state of feet back then. For Peter, the most impetuous and impulsive of the disciples, this was too much. He believed Jesus was the Messiah, the One to set His people free from tyranny, and this was insane behavior from the Savior of Israel. Imagine if President Obama or Queen Elizabeth or even your pastor or professor or boss washed your feet. And you haven’t had a pedicure for a while. And you didn’t wear socks with your flats all day. I mean, seriously. It would have been embarrassing. But Jesus makes it clear what he’s up to when He says,

You call me Lord and Teacher, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him (John 13:13-16).

Jesus shows us what it looks like to really be with others—we become servants to all, we look out for others, we provide relief and refreshment, a place for others to truly be themselves.

Maybe we don’t think of ourselves as ideal hosts or counselor-types or competent to offer what others need. Maybe we feel awkward or at a loss for words. We have to remember that we will never feel perfectly ready to fully be with people. There will always be an excuse or a reason to not offer what we have to others, sometimes very good reasons! However, the ability to be with people, along with any other spiritual gifts or resources, comes from Jesus. He is the One who takes what we have and makes it enough, like the miracles of the loaves and fishes. All He asks is that we show up and plunk ourselves next to His people, His children, the happy and the sad. The apostle Paul says in his letter to the Romans to rejoice with the rejoicing and to mourn with the mourning (Romans 12:15). When we do this, we will find ourselves in the middle of miracles. Because we can do anything, face any struggle, celebrate fully when we know we are not alone. We can take more steps forward, like the woman across the street, when in the company of friends. This is love. This is bringing the kingdom of God in the middle of our daily grind. Jesus promised that the world would know we are His when we love each other. In our busy, productive, networking world, we can practice being present with those around us. We can trust that He will also be present, that He will be completely with us, that He will make something beautiful of our small gifts of time and love and words.