the fight.

everyone you meet is fighting a battle

you know nothing about.

be kind.

I saw this quote somewhere a few days ago, and I thought, yeah, that's good advice.  And then God's given us a few more heavy experiences this week to empathize with the everyone.

There seems to be a lot of extra hard stuff going on for a lot of people right now, and I found myself thanking the Lord last night for not making ME the burden carrier, the hand that's got the whole world... or I'd be despairing this morning.

Yesterday I learned that one of my parents' good friends growing up just suffered a massive stroke.  I immediately jumped on facebook and within minutes (technology...when working...is such a gift) was talking to their daughter that I grew up with and went to college with.  She just left her mother's side that morning to be back at work...and it is killing her, and she is so tired, and I remember.  She is fighting a great battle.

Lucner is finally back to work today after a devastating week at home...a continually sick wife, a planned trip to the Dominican to get her help, only to be met with the death of her uncle the morning they were to go...her father so broken over the loss of his brother he falls into some kind of coma...a church without a senior pastor looking to him for SO much...a new baby...a big funeral Tuesday...on and on and on.  He is fighting a battle.

Maxi and Kerline.  I tell him last night that maybe we need to be doing more...maybe we should take her somewhere, maybe there is something better.  Maybe I could swoop in and American the situation.  "Sister?" he finally says "Don't you know that we have thought and prayed about nothing else for hours everyday for the last 9 months?  Don't you think that we are doing the very best that we can?  We are doing the very best that we can, and the rest, we are giving to God, because we trust Him."  I am humbled.  They are fighting a battle.

I cannot even count...CANNOT EVEN COUNT the number of people who have come to my office, to our door, sent a letter, called us, are PLEADING with us to help right now.  There are SO MANY CHILDREN who need to go to school.  and it starts in 2 weeks.  And the money i-s--n-o-t--t-h-e-r-e.  And it's all they can think about.  And we are over-budget times TEN and still digging and digging and it will never all be enough.  And while I understand what everyone is saying, let's face it.  I do NOT understand, and I never will, what it is to NOT BE CAPABLE of finding $18 to send my kid to school.  To choose it over feeding said kid.  Everyone is fighting.

As I think on just all of these smiling faces--with so many burdens and heartaches and so much pain and overwhelm underneath--the knowledge that EVERY MAN is our mission field is renewed.

Be kind.  Yes.  It is greatly lacking...the fruit of the Spirit of kindness--big, generous, forgiving, sweet, unconditional kindness.

I have seen great kindness do something very small that changed entire hearts.  and I have seen great service done without an ounce of kindness mean nothing. at. all.

Kindness.
Lavished upon our children.  Lavished upon our spouses.  Lavished upon our friends.  Lavished upon our not-so-friends.  Lavished upon our strangers.  Lavished upon even the people we don't think need it because they've got it all together.  Lavished upon even the people who so obviously need it that it is uncomfortable.

But even more.

everyone you meet is fighting a battle
that you know nothing about
and that He has already won.
Be Jesus.

I can't even be me today.  ME can't do a thing for anybody worth anything.  ME can't speak to the source of such great pain.  ME can't get past myself long enough to die to anyone, to give sacrificially, to love unendlessly.

only He can.

Christ in me--in you--the Hope of Glory, today.