My wife is awesome. For the past two weeks, I have been extremely busy. I have not had anytime to help out with the house work. Missy has been working on her master's degree as well as working full time, so I have been doing all I can to help out. But, as I said, I have just been too busy to help out for a bit. I came home late the other night expecting to do laundry. I knew I had my last clean pair of jeans on and was expecting to have a late night. I came in and heard the dryer running. Missy was already in bed, but had started the laundry so I didn't have to stay up. It was such a relief. I could wait till they are done, hang them up and get some sleep. It meant so much to me. She was busy, but still took the time to help me out. It wasn't a big grand gesture of love, its not like she had to think about what would help me, she just saw something that needed done and did it. Its not always the big stuff that sticks or means the most. It really doesn't take much to fulfill John 15:17, "This is what I command you: love one another."
Show someone you love them today. It doesn't have to be big or extravagant.
In Christ,
jon walton
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Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Being There...
Everything we do is a learning experience to some degree. Since I have accepted the call to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and became a pastor I have learned a lot of things. I have learned that some people will always be encouraging. I have learned that some people will always be critical. I have learned that some people really need to be loved. I have learned that some people really appreciate it when kindness is handed their way and some people will never notice. I have learned almost all this through personal experience in the past few years. I have also learned that some things I was scared of are really simple.
One of the things I really had no idea how to do was "visits." If someone is in the hospital, or sick, or feeling depressed, or had just lost a loved one or friend, I have known several pastors in the past who had gone to visit them. Now, I have a pretty outgoing personality. I can make friends easily and I can get along with pretty much anyone, but for some reason the thought of going and sitting with someone in those situations just scared me. What if I say something stupid? What if I go when they don't want me there? What if I do something that irritates them? I just had no idea what I was suppose to do. However, through experience, God has given me exactly what to do.
Be there.
I have learned that just the presence of someone who cares means so much more than what is said, done, or even thought. And while this thought may not have occurred to you before (like it didn't for me) the same is probably true for you. Think of a time when you were going through something difficult. Something you didn't think you could handle. If you had someone who didn't really have any advice or the solution, (like a spouse, child, friend, fellow church member) it still help that they were just there. Just to know that they cared and were there if you needed them.
In the book of Job, chapter 2:11-13, some of Job's friends had heard that he was suffering.
Did you catch that last sentence? No acts of healing. No over showing of affection. No words of wisdom. They were just being there for their friend. Oh, and they weren't pastors either! Do you know someone whose suffering is intense right now? They could probably use a friend to be there for them.
In Christ,
jon walton
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One of the things I really had no idea how to do was "visits." If someone is in the hospital, or sick, or feeling depressed, or had just lost a loved one or friend, I have known several pastors in the past who had gone to visit them. Now, I have a pretty outgoing personality. I can make friends easily and I can get along with pretty much anyone, but for some reason the thought of going and sitting with someone in those situations just scared me. What if I say something stupid? What if I go when they don't want me there? What if I do something that irritates them? I just had no idea what I was suppose to do. However, through experience, God has given me exactly what to do.
Be there.
I have learned that just the presence of someone who cares means so much more than what is said, done, or even thought. And while this thought may not have occurred to you before (like it didn't for me) the same is probably true for you. Think of a time when you were going through something difficult. Something you didn't think you could handle. If you had someone who didn't really have any advice or the solution, (like a spouse, child, friend, fellow church member) it still help that they were just there. Just to know that they cared and were there if you needed them.
In the book of Job, chapter 2:11-13, some of Job's friends had heard that he was suffering.
Now when Job's three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had happened to him, each of them came from his home. They met together to go and offer sympathy and comfort to him. When they looked from a distance, they could [barely] recognize him. They wept aloud, and each man tore his robe and threw dust into the air and on his head. Then they sat on the ground with him seven days and nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that his suffering was very intense.
Did you catch that last sentence? No acts of healing. No over showing of affection. No words of wisdom. They were just being there for their friend. Oh, and they weren't pastors either! Do you know someone whose suffering is intense right now? They could probably use a friend to be there for them.
In Christ,
jon walton
Back to C3
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