"My Brothers" Pt. 2

This is part 2. Part 1 is below.

Last week I received a package in the mail from Elisabeth S., a dear woman who I've known for years. It was a tough day for me. I had cried earlier that morning. I was feeling discouraged, alone, and unhappy. And then Elisabeth's package came. A pair of funky socks, some chocolate, Twizzlers (my favorite!) and a few special tea bags with a little card, written in her sweet, random way. I sat with the box in my lap and smiled up to heaven with swimming eyes. I felt so loved all of the sudden... because JESUS, in the form of Elisabeth, had sent me a box. She didn't know I'd be getting it on a "down" day. She didn't probably even stop to think that by sending me a package, she was taking the time to send a special gift to Jesus. She was encouraging His heart. She was making Him smile and wiping away His tears when she wiped away mine. Do you see the beautiful interaction--Jesus serving and being served through His children? Do you see how amazingly, breathtakingly beautiful the body of Christ is!? Do you see what a privilege it is to love each other, and be kind to each other, and go out of our way to bless each other? Dear brother or sister, if Jesus loves you so much that His very heart is wrapped up in yours, it is my privilege to love you and serve you!

It boggles my mind that Jesus loves me so incredibly, is so deeply interested and engaged in my life, that a deed done to me is a deed done to Him. When I stop and think about that, I feel so loved that I just have to quizzically shake my head and say "Why, Lord? Why such an intensely deep and personal love for ME?" The thought challenges my thinking though. If indeed an act of service or disservice done to one of Christ's children is done to Christ Himself, how many times have I personally wronged Christ by treating one of His children the way I would NEVER treat Jesus in bodily form? Are my actions consistent with the understanding that Jesus takes personally every blessing and every ill deed done to one of His own?

When I care for Miss Elisabeth, I love to remember that I am caring for Jesus through her. In combing her hair, making her laugh, tying that hard-to-reach shoe or sneaking her a piece of chocolate, I am delighting the heart of God. It makes me want to go out of my way to serve; to love.

I know of a girl, Kimberly, who has spent the past 10 YEARS--yes TEN--of her life caring for her mother who had a stroke. I know of a woman, Michelle, who cooks gourmet meals (not just casserole dishes or pre-bought pizzas) for those who are going through rough times. She pours her heart into her cooking because she loves people and she wants to encourage them through her talent. I know a young man (my brother) who has given up a job he could have had as a successful pilot in Alaska because he wants to leave it all behind and serve poor, obscure, needy people overseas with his talent. I know a woman named Sheila who knows what it's like to lose a loved one to cancer, so when she found out about my sister last year she was willing to drop her life at ANY time to do ANY thing for my family. These are all people who are serving Jesus HIMSELF and many days hardly stop to even realize it I'm sure. The list could go on, and the acts of service range from huge deeds to small everyday servanthood. You all inspire me when I see that kind of love.

And now I have one more part to my sermon before I step out from behind the pulpit. But I'll probably post it tomorrow.