There is a precious older lady in my church. At one point in time she was my daughter's Sunday school teacher. She adores my children so we have pleasant smiles or small talk often but I have not had a chance to hear her heart. I noticed for the past year that each Sunday she enters church late, sits in the back, and sneaks out early before we are dismissed.
When people do this, enter early and sneak out late, I assume they just don't want interaction with others or perhaps they want to beat the crowd to lunch. My mind always tends to veer toward the negative and I hate this about my mind. God is transforming it as I truly am growing in order to have eyes to see people rightly. This woman gave me a chance to see.
One Sunday morning I had the opportunity to really chat with her in order to get a glimpse into her heart. What I found was such beauty in her through gospel shaped, devoted and sacrificing love.
I found out that she is a caregiver now for her husband. For two years they were told he would not make it through another holiday and this year they are approaching a third. She expressed such joy to be his caretaker and joy for the time with him, however, he cannot be left on his own at all. Because of this her son comes after his time at church to sit with him so this dear lady can come to her home church. After service she gets herself right back with him so her son can get back to his duties.
My heart was so touched at that self-sacrificing love. Her acts of love done with all joy. She misses being at church and teaching the children but sees this season as a time to lovingly serve her husband as he lives his last days. This is living out the gospel.
I wonder if we just listened to people's stories if it would make us less apt to judge? We have no idea what is going on with other people and their lives.
I spoke to another dear lady who said her husband struggles with sleep apnea terribly so when they make it to church after a hard night he usually falls asleep and it embarrasses him terribly because of how people judge or make assumptions.
Then there is the family who has resolved to sit on the couches in the lobby during service because the sensory overload of the service is too much for their son with special needs. Seeing this family sit together is endearing to me because they are trying to make this work, trying to be with their church body despite the difficulty. Let us not judge them! Let us reach out and love them where they are. Let us welcome them and ask them how we can help. Let us embrace them and speak words of encouragement.
I am sure it would be easier to just not come to church at all for each of them yet they are brave and they come because they value the assembly of the body of believers. And we are better off for having them in our family at our little church. These are just three stories but if we really had eyes to see I know we would discover many more. They each encourage me greatly and help me to remember we have no idea what others are going through and instead of making assumptions we should be willing to extend love and grace and help.
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