This is Hanlie’s story:

I am staying in a retirement community. A couple stays close by, but to be honest, I don’t really like the woman. But the Lord has been working on my heart. 

I recently heard from other people that her husband has Alzheimer’s and was admitted to another facility’s infirmary a month or so ago. There he became severely dehydrated, and was admitted to the hospital. One evening the doctors told the family that they were going to turn off the machine. 

They did so, but in some inexplicable way the machines turned themselves back on and the man recovered so much that he was able to go home after a few days. He is currently in our care unit. Not exactly sick, but his wife just can’t take care of him on her own. 

She walks past my house every day to visit him. Last Wednesday, I was just getting out of my car when she walked by. When I saw her, a deep compassion came over me and I walked over to her, put my arms around her and comforted her as she cried. 

The next evening, I was reading when the thought came to my mind: Call the woman. It was already nine o’clock and I thought she might have gone to bed early. Leave it for later.

I started reading again but the thought came again, so strong that I got up and called her. We talked for an hour. I called her again over the weekend. 

Then she told me that she had gone to bed early on Wednesday night, but woke up terrified at about eight thirty, so afraid that she didn’t know what to do. She said it was as if deep darkness had come over her and wanted to swallow her up. She became more and more afraid. 

Later, she wanted to run outside because she felt like she couldn’t breathe. Then I called and we just talked about Jesus. She said that peace came over her while we talked, so she later fell asleep. 

Hanlie confessed that she didn’t really like the woman, but in a way, Jesus turned her heart around. He brings compassion into the story, and the ending is completely different. Children of God love each other.

They care, they act, and they make a difference. This is not optional; it’s a command. 20If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see?  

Scripture
1 John 4:7-21 

Reflection
Where are you really missing the bus with love?
Where do you need to live more love?
Who do you need to give more love to? 

Prayer
Father, sometimes I just want to sit and I’m too tired to really live love for others. Yet, I also do want to live Your love. Show me where I can make Your love a reality today. Amen.