John 21:15-17 “do you love Me?” – – – “feed my sheep”
Sometimes the small quiet things look more like Jesus than the big loud things. The small everyday thing might be exactly what is needed and – – because its small and I’m busy trying to do big things – I miss it.
What if the thing we really need to do just walks up our front steps and knocks on the door.
I had a visitor this week – a semi regular – and as much as I don’t want to say it – I wasn’t very happy to see her – I was doing things around the house and well just didn’t want to be disturbed! I was about to begrudgingly open the screen door when I got a huge God shaped dig in my ribs to get over myself.
It was the lady from a few doors down – loud and vivacious she likes to visit along the street occasionally for a catch up and a no details spared chat. That prod in the ribs helped me remember this – her health fluctuates so she doesn’t get out to socialise as much as most people and her children live away. I remembered this too – she is cared for full time by her husband – a quiet man who doesn’t stop to chat but who puts my bins out to the curb every Thursday afternoon and takes them back in before I get home Friday because he knows Ken works away – does the same for other neighbours as well and he generally just keeps an eye on things along the street – such a kindness, simple, wordless, mundane even but there is divine to be found in the mundane and this small thing is huge to me – I manage to catch him occasionally to say thank you. This neighbour put me to shame this week – his kindness showing more of Jesus’ love than I certainly had.
Isn’t taking the time for a chat with this lady – as lengthy and inconvenient as I might find it at times – the very least I can do for her and him. I mean there are people risking their lives caring for Ebola patients and feeding homeless refugees and I’m whinging about someone at my door! – the thing is this lady doesn’t need antibiotics or a food parcel from me – she needs a warm welcome, some company and a bit of girl talk and maybe her husband needs some time to himself for a quiet cup of coffee – isn’t that the very least I can do – the very least. Isn’t that where Jesus’ love becomes real.
I know there is more – more small things that are done for me than I realise and more small things that I can do for others – others that if I take the time to notice are already right there on my doorstep waiting for me to invite them in.
“We’re all just walking each other home” Ram Dass
Have a great week and turn up anytime – the door is open, I promise.
Tracey xx