When we honestly ask ourselves...

If you know me you know, I am kind of in love with Grey’s Anatomy. Funny thing is... if I need a good cry, my formula consists of the bed+wine+Grey's Anatomy.   Sounds dramatic but hear me out.   As hysterical as it seems to some, a lot of the painful experiences these characters go through (losing a sister, a dad, a mom, a wife, to learning how to walk in recovery, to the “phantom”pains)… it touches me.   It helps me cope.  In comforting ways these characters know and share in my pain, touch my heart, and speak about their life experiences in ways I can’t seem to do for myself.

Yes, it’s a TV show.  That's the point.  If this is TV what is happening in reality?  What if we did this?

Turn our pain into sharing.  Touch the wounds of others just by being present in someone’s life.  Forget the tweets and wall posts.

What if we showed up?  What if we show up and really walk with a person through lifes challenges, defeats and victories?  

If characters on a TV show can do it, how much more are we able to do in “real” life?

The profound author Henri Nouwen wrote:

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us,
we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures,
have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.”

What kind of lives are we living if not one for each other?  For community?

I read this passage in Philippians this morning and it hit home.  Thought I’d share it with you.

“If you find any comfort from being in the Christ, if His love brings you some encouragement, if you experience true companionship with the Spirit, if His tenderness and mercy fills your heart; then, brothers and sisters, here is one thing that would complete my joy—come together as one in mind and spirit and purpose, sharing in the same love.  Don’t let the selfishness and prideful agendas take over.  Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others.  Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first.

In other words, adopt the mind-set of Jesus the Anointed.  

Live with His attitude in your hearts. 

Remember: Though He was in the form of God, He chose not to cling to equality with God; But He poured Himself out to fill a vessel brand new; a servant in form and a man indeed.  The very likeness of humanity, He humbled Himself, obedient to death—a merciless death on the cross!” (Philippians 2:1-8)

Take this version of The Message:

“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.  Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top.  Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. 

Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.  He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.  Not at all.  When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!  Having become human, he stayed human.  It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.”

So again: “When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.”

 I don’t think the people who were obsessed with Jesus when He walked the earth were after His “good teaching” or “Holy Ghost-miracle shows.”  I think people wanted to taste, hear, see and feel this Jesus because instead of giving advice, solutions or cures, he was moved with compassion to share their (and our) pain and touch their (and our) wounds with a warm and tender hand, even at times without physically touching.

He was present… he showed up. 

He didn’t just pray in closets—he met people where they were in life.  He met the woman at the well.  He stood outside when the adulteress woman was about to be stoned to death.  He met Zacchaeus in a tree… and called him.  He held my hand when I was being raped.

He meets us right where we are… and He chooses to take our pain and our wounds upon Himself because He sees the VALUE and WORTH in our lives. 

He embraced humility, extended love, saw beyond His own needs, and journeyed to meet death at the cross, all because He saw us, the beloved children of God.  Through His showing up at the cross and raising from the grave, we can witness a display of victory in sacrificial love, agape love.  God placed us before His son.  Wow.

So forget what the world has to say about self-gratification and discovering to be a happier you.  I think when we adopt the mind of Christ (hello, renew ya mind), step into the heart of God, and operate from THAT Love, we are “fulfilled” in knowing, He did this for us too.  “We love because He first loved us” begins to make sense in our lives.

“What I’m getting at friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning.  When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up.  Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God.  That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.” (continued of passage I shared above; Phil. 2:12-13)

Your life is so precious and important.  By your showing up in the lives of those around you, you are helping keep someone's hope alive.  So show up.  Be that "my person" to someone like Cristina is to Meredith.  Be like Alex and find love to be true again.

Show up and keep loving others, even when it’s hard and especially when it’s the least convenient.  Keep pressing deeper into the King’s heart.  Forgive and love again.  Community is powerful.  Matthew 5:23-24 says, "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."

What does showing up look like for you?  How are you living in responsive obedience to choose community--to be reconciled and to love others?  Who are you meeting?

with all my heart, pk.