Changing LIves

Imagine that you have the power to change someone's life.  What would that look like?  How would it play out?

I waited patiently upon the LORD; he stooped to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many shall see, and stand in awe, and put their trust in the LORD. - Psalm 40:1-3

In today's reading, the Psalmist credits the Lord with that ability, thanking Him for the change in his life.

But what if God doesn't do his healing directly?  What if He chooses to work through us?  How do we know the work is ours to do?

We might not.  We could easily go through life missing every opportunity God lays before us to change the lives of the people around us.

Maybe that is what Jesus was talking about when he said we have eyes but don't see and ears but don't hear.

Training ourselves to see God's plan may be a lot simpler than it sounds.  In fact, I think it can be easy, if we want to be his servants.

It begins when we make time to be present for people, to listen to them and really hear what they are saying.

We may not have answers to their questions, or solutions to their problems.  Those things may not be apparent at first, but they could come.  And they may come to the one with the problem, rather than to us.

The mistake we can make is to think we are called to carry someone's burden, when we may just be called to lend a hand or an ear.

What may seem obvious to us, may be lost in a cloud of confusion and uncertainty for someone else, and they may just need to sort that out in our presence.

But that takes time.

It is the one thing Jesus had for everyone, time.

Even when he sought an escape, they found him and he showed them compassion.

That is what we are called to do for Him, to show compassion.

It can and will change lives.

Why not give it a try?

More to come...