Samilio

The Reverend

May 12, 2020
The news this week has been particularly disturbing. There are images of people with guns exercising their right to bring weapons anywhere they please, even if it is disturbing the peace of others. Racism is alive. Many people are so caught up in what they want for themselves, without regard to how it affects others, that the plague of selfishness may kill our spirits and take our lives before COVID-19. While I like scrolling through Facebook, I have begun to hide stories I just cannot look at anymore–posts created to meet the selfish needs of the poster and those who agree with the poster. I am suffering from us vs. them fatigue. Today, however, I read a story posted by a person I know about an unselfish act. It was the spark of light I needed in the darkness that has surrounded my online experience lately.

My friend posted: I was at Walmart last night and heard a loud crash and something shattering. Being nosy, I walked towards the sound and saw some people whispering and looking back to the end of the next aisle. When I walked down that aisle, I saw an older lady had hit a shelf and many things had fallen to the ground and broke. She was kneeling on the floor embarrassed, frantically trying to clean up. I felt so bad for her, and everyone was just standing there staring at her. So, I went and knelt beside her and told her not to worry, and started helping her pick up the broken pieces. After about a minute, the store manager came and knelt beside us and said, “Leave it, we will clean this up.” The lady, totally embarrassed said, “I need to pay for all this.” The manager smiled, helped her to her feet and said, “No ma’am, we have insurance for this, you do not have to pay anything!”

Wherever you are, close your eyes, and imagine God doing the same for you. Imagine the broken pieces of your mistakes, or the pieces of your broken heart from all the blows life has thrown at you, all over the floor, and you’re there trying to collect all of the pieces and fix them yourself. Now imagine God comes and kneels right down beside you, smiles and says to you, “Leave it all there, we will clean this up for you.” He loves you that much and wants to put all of those pieces back together if you will let Him. With Him we have this insurance; it’s called GRACE! It’s free! All you have to do is ask Him to forgive you, help you, and to heal you. He’s faithful, I promise!*

I needed to hear this. I needed to know that empathy and compassion are not dead, and that we can show God’s love for each other. The gift of presence is more powerful than you can imagine. If we help each other pick up the pieces of our lives, we will all be better for the experience. It reminds me of the line from the prayer of St. Francis, “It is in giving that we receive.”

Today and every day Lord, make us instruments of your peace.

Peace and Blessings,
Jamie+

Jamie