Loving others should be intentional, but I say that with caution. No one wants to feel like a service project. We don't go through life longing to be served. Its LOVE that we all crave so deeply; to be known and to matter. The ache of a hungry belly is often surpassed by the ache of a lonely heart, etc. My wife, Kimberly, made me so proud last Sunday. As we were on our way home after church, we passed a homeless woman and her dog. Kimberly drove to Target and picked up a few items for the woman and dropped some info from the Branches in the bag as well. We were lucky and hit a red light as we drove back to where the woman was. Kimberly was able get out and hand the bag to her. The woman hugged Kimberly and began weeping when she opened the bag. She couldn't stop herself from saying, "Thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you!" over and over again.
So how does this proud husband's story relate to loving intentionally? You see, Kimberly is an animal lover, and she has a knack for knowing when other people are too. She saw a bond between that homeless person and her dog.
Who snuggles up to her and keeps her warm on cold winter nights? Who stays with her in the dark alleys and makes her feel safe? Who remains loyally by her side through everything?
HER DOG!
Yes, I'm sure the woman was grateful for the food Kimberly gave her, but what item in that bag do you think pushed her to tears? Dog food. She was so, so very thankful for the dog food.
She was loved well. She was not treated as a service project, but cared for as an individual. Kimberly saw something in her, about her. She didn't just see a homeless person. She saw a woman who loved her dog. And I wonder if that, in itself, is what had such an emotional effect on the woman; that she was seen as something more than just homeless.
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2 comments:
That made my innards smile.
I love it!
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