To the High and Mighty

A few years ago, I was blessed to meet a young woman who continues to impress the heck out of me. She's a tiny gal ... in fact, next to her, I'm tall, and those of you who know me personally know that I'm pretty darned short. She's a wife, a mom of three little kiddos and a fabulous cook. She can plan, organize and put on an event like no one I've ever known. She has an incredible gift for hospitality and is always willing to open her home to anyone who needs a friend. She's loyal. She's honest. She's trustworthy. She's caring. She's compassionate. She's smart. She's kind. She's loving. Perhaps the best way to describe her is to say that she has a massively giant heart inside of her tiny little body ... a heart that most of us would do well to emulate.

I met this amazing gal at the church where we used to attend when we served together in women's ministry. Yep, I used to be on the women's ministry team, believe it or not. And write and perform skits with the drama team. And listen to the little kids say their Bible verses at Awana. And teach senior high Sunday school. And lead Bible studies. And teach a women's Sunday school class. Gosh, I was even asked to read the Christmas story from the Bible at the big candlelight Christmas Eve service one year. There are two huge truths about those statements that leap out at me as I type them by the way. I used to serve in all those ways at my church (key words being "used to") ... in fact, I served for many, many years in those ways at my church. And the other truth I couldn't help but acknowledge as I typed? I am the same person today as I was then, and I have the same heart today as I did then. I didn't do those things or serve in those ways as an attempt to try and hide who I am ... I served because that's what God called me to do. If the truth be told, that's what He calls every single one of us to do every single day of our lives ... to love and serve one another in His name.

Back to my amazing friend ... I received an email from her this morning asking if I had heard from a former friend, and I replied that I had not. My friend's reply was a mixture of sadness, disappointment and anger, and I could feel her pain for my still hurting heart through the words of her message. I answered and said I was certain the person has her reasons for not communicating with me, and I spoke the truth when I said how deeply that particular wound still hurts. A few minutes later, I received another email from my friend letting me know that she had "ranted" about the subject matter of our conversation on Facebook. I must admit, my first thought was, "Uh-oh. That's not good." But then I read what my sweet friend posted, and tonight when I got home from work, I also read the comments from others in response to her words.

Here's my friend's post:

"I don't get how someone can invest love, time, their lives into another person for a very long time, but when that other person states something about themselves: I'm an alcoholic, I'm a thief, I chose to sell my body...they drop them. If you believe this to be a sin then isn't this the time to pray with and for them...after all we are all sinners, you would be walking away from everyone if that's the case. Leaving someone in the dark is not showing the light.

End rant."

And a few of the comments from others:

"It's when a person needs support most AND it's also the hardest time to love and support the person."

"We love to shoot our own wounded in the name of Christianity."

"I love your heart! Big Time!! Your post is so true and SO very timely today...Thanks for reminding us to follow and be a light...not cast darkness in an already dark world. Love you!"

When I read my friend's post today, a lump formed in my throat and tears filled my eyes. My heart swelled with admiration for her courage and bravery in speaking out against rejecting people we are commanded to love ... wait ... aren't we who call ourselves Christians commanded to love all people the same way Christ loves us? The God I love (the God who has loved me since before He knit me together in my mother's womb, by the way, and continues to love me even now) ... I believe with all my heart and soul that He is a God whose heart is deeply grieved by the way we treat one another. Trust me, I isolate and condemn and judge and beat myself up plenty, and I have for a very, very, very long time. Being punched in the gut when I'm already lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut by those who claim to care about me only serves to make the tough times so much tougher. Having said that, I know there are some folks who think people like me deserve to be hated and shunned and abandoned. There are some who think pretty highly of themselves and believe they have a monopoly on truth. My old dad used to say, "It's not the lowly of the world you need to run from, Sam ... it's the ones who think they're high and mighty ... the ones that think they're holier than the rest of us sinners. One day they'll find out that in God's eyes, ain't a one of us any better than another." You know what I think? I think my dad was a really smart man ... a really, really, really smart man.

So here's to my friends who aren't afraid to speak out against injustice and to call out those who don't practice what they preach. Here's to my friends who fearlessly stand beside me, around me and with me. Here's to my friends who devotedly stay ... and stay ... and stay ... even when so many others have left. Here's to my friends who continue to teach me every single day what real compassion looks like ... what real faithfulness acts like ... what real love feels like. Here's to you, Shasty ... I want to be just like you when I grow up, my friend ... I do indeed.