Just Be There....
We love because He first loved us. - 1 John 4:19
Recently, I found myself preparing for a big presentation while in the quiet comforts of my bedroom. I wore a pair of my favorite old, raggedy red pajamas, and my dog Rocky came dressed in his beautiful white coat. A few minutes into this presentation, my audience of one fell sound asleep. Truthfully, his snoring mattered very little to me. I felt great comfort in looking over at his sweet face. I just needed him to be there.
My son had a very big test to prepare for last week. The packets of information overwhelmed him, they overwhelmed me and the night appeared to be clothed in an insurmountable challenge. I rearranged my schedule, pulled up a chair and decided to simply be present in those work-filled moments. Landon found great comfort in a "party of two" gathered at the table. He just needed someone to be there.
My daughter, a social work major, spends time during the week serving as an intern at the Lee County Court Building. Her eyes have become wide open to the harsh realities of abuse, neglect and sorrow woven into the daily lives of so many families. At the end of a recent day, a sweet little voice on the other end of the phone fought back tears as she explained how hard this stage of her training appears to be. I listened and offered words of comfort. 13 hours from home, my sweet girl needed to feel the emotional support of having her mother present...in the moment.
I recently attended a presentation focused on the emotional well-being of teenagers in today's world. It is hard for me to truly wrap my mind around the number of times the presenters stated the word "lonely." Current research draws startling conclusions about the loneliness shared by both adults and teenagers in our technology-driven society. In a recent survey of 20,000 adults, 54% of respondents said they feel like no one actually knows them well. The same survey found that younger Americans are hit even harder by loneliness.
In our daily lives, it has become easy and commonplace to hide behind the screens of our phones. We have immediate access to what our friends may be eating, thinking, doing and feeling. Our responses to them can include cute emoji's and touching words. I truly believe, most of the time, this simply is not enough.
Look, with a prayerful heart, at the beautiful people you encounter each day of your life. Do you know, with great certainty, the struggles they currently face? Have you taken the time to discover what is truly on their hearts? God encourages us to love others in the same way He loves us. Open your soul to the blessed opportunity of reaching out to those around you. Make a phone call. Schedule a time to visit. Celebrate the joys of being a listener. Just be there. Thank God for the blessed opportunity you have to share His radiant light and love with those who need the healing touch of our Almighty Father the most. Amen.
I recently attended a presentation focused on the emotional well-being of teenagers in today's world. It is hard for me to truly wrap my mind around the number of times the presenters stated the word "lonely." Current research draws startling conclusions about the loneliness shared by both adults and teenagers in our technology-driven society. In a recent survey of 20,000 adults, 54% of respondents said they feel like no one actually knows them well. The same survey found that younger Americans are hit even harder by loneliness.
In our daily lives, it has become easy and commonplace to hide behind the screens of our phones. We have immediate access to what our friends may be eating, thinking, doing and feeling. Our responses to them can include cute emoji's and touching words. I truly believe, most of the time, this simply is not enough.
Look, with a prayerful heart, at the beautiful people you encounter each day of your life. Do you know, with great certainty, the struggles they currently face? Have you taken the time to discover what is truly on their hearts? God encourages us to love others in the same way He loves us. Open your soul to the blessed opportunity of reaching out to those around you. Make a phone call. Schedule a time to visit. Celebrate the joys of being a listener. Just be there. Thank God for the blessed opportunity you have to share His radiant light and love with those who need the healing touch of our Almighty Father the most. Amen.
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