Pebble Dropping

As I mentioned yesterday, we're teaching about getting along and being kind to others. Which, that reminds me of one of Sunday's texts. I have a feeling this is going to be a long (but good post, so please do read). 


The text, which I will post, because it is so important for our lives, is this: (Romans 12:9-21)
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;  if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.


I could probably write a novel on those words! But I won't. I referred to a story the other day by the Brothers Grimm, Hansel and Gretel. In the story, Hansel leaves white pebbles in his pocket to drop along as he and Gretel go to find the candy house. He leaves white pebbles so they can find their way home.


Today, I ask you, what kind of white pebbles are you dropping? If people were to walk along your trail of life, what kind of tracks would they find?


This passage in Romans calls us to drop white pebbles- tracks- of love.  Genuine love. Love must be sincere. 


I had quite a few moments with my students today- they are really struggling getting along. After recess, student A came in sobbing. Several students came up to me and said "Student A is sad." So I walked over and asked what was wrong. She said "Student B said she doesn't want to be my friend any more and that she hates me."


This was not just another elementary school occurrence- that girl meant it. And as any human would, Student A was devastated. I felt like a knife went through my heart because that instance is still so real in my life. I delivered the only words I knew how:
"I know how hard that is and how much it hurts. But look around you- there are so many people here who love you and want to be your friend. I want to be your friend and Jesus wants to be your friend too. Let's focus on those people and not think about person B."


That stopped her crying, but unless you've heard those words from a friend or family member, it is hard to realize just how deep of a wound they leave.


We had our lesson today again about the porcupine and teddy bear words. We talked about forgiving, and instead of fighting back, we need to speak up and let people how much it hurts us, and that we can forgive them. 


Let me tell you another story. This example of love reminds me of a story I heard about Marie.   This is a true story I read in a pamphlet.

Marie was on the way to her son’s game when she decided to stop for a quick bite to eat. She pulled into the drive through lane, stopped to place her order, and rolled down her window. She found herself face-to-face with a gunman. It was a young man, and he was holding the gun right to her head.

Terrified, Marie asked what the man wanted, but he just motioned with his gun. She asked if he wanted her purse, and he still motioned. She dropped her purse out the window. The gunman didn’t leave. He looked across to the other side of the car.  She realized there was an accomplice on the other side.

The gunman made a motion toward the backseat and Marie decided that whatever they were going to do, they wanted to get in the car with her. With that frightening thought, she hit the gas pedal. At the same moment, the gunman shot her in the jaw. The bullet went in one side of her face and out the other. He picked up her purse and fled with the other man, not realizing there were witnesses who noticed the license number of their car.

Marie, drenched in blood, drove around to the window and asked for help. A worker drove her to a hospital a few blocks away. As they prepared Marie for surgery, she mentally focused on the face of the gunman so she would be able to identify him, if necessary. She didn’t want to forget his face. When Marie was in surgery, the police apprehended two suspects.

The next year of Marie’s life was filled with surgeries, physical pain, emotional changes, court appearances, the care of loved ones, and anger. She didn’t realize the extent of her anger and hatred toward the man who shot her, but she could forget neither his face nor what he had done. The gunman plead guilty, apologized to Marie in court, and helped convict the accomplice to this and other crimes. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Marie didn’t want to feel like a victim. She wanted to be strong. She thought if she gave up her anger she would feel weak. A friend asked if she was fearful of the of the time when the gunman would be set free. Marie replied that she had daydreamed about him walking into her house, but this time the story was reversed. She would shoot him in the jaw. She wanted him to know the pain she lived with, to know how it had affected her family and turned her life upside down.

As time went on and Marie’s life started to calm down, she found herself wanting to sit down and talk to the man who had shot her. She wasn’t sure why, but the desire was there and finally she acted on it, waiting several months for her wish to become a reality. She wasn’t going in anger; she simply wanted to talk to him face to face.

She met with him in a conference room at the prison, accompanied by liaisons. For a moment Marie didn’t know what to say. She asked about his upbringing and he told her stories of his life. She told him about her family and the difficulty her sons had with the shooting. Marie told him how she was hurt, physically and emotionally, and talked of changes in her daily life and family. The young man and Marie shared stories. They expressed no anger; did not raise their voices. After a short break, Marie found herself saying something she had never expected; it just came out of her bullet-pierced mouth. She called the gunman by name and said “I-I for…give you.”

Marie notes that she want to the prison for herself. But the gift of forgiveness brought a change to Marie’s life and the life of the young man from the streets who had shot her. After the man was released on parole, Marie contacted his parole officer. Knowing his upbringing, Marie wondered if he would need help finding a job and offered to help. She was told that he had not only found a job but was doing well, finding new life after his time in prison. Marie met with him again, together with his parole officer. She found out that their visit in prison had made quite an impact on him, as it had her. The anger was gone. Forgiveness was given. Lives were changed.

Marie was dropping pebbles of love, and anyone who would come across Marie’s path would notice her willingness to forgive her enemies, and show love and compassion to them.

I admire Marie. You know, I could search out those who will not forgive me (I have tried to do like Marie, but it was refused several times). and say:  “WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU! What is so wrong in your life that you think you can treat a human being- much less, a child of GOD this way! And, How dare you make me feel like this was my fault. This is the question I really want answered- what I can’t understand is how you could do this when you knew what I was going through. Let me tell you something- you do not show that kind of hatred when you are a Christian. If you have a problem, you work it out. You do not sit back and say, “I don’t want to speak to you or look at you, so I’m going to glare at you and ignore any try you have to make things up with me,” Like a BABY. As a professional, as a family member, you are not going to make it in life if you continue these behaviors. I wished you had learned that you do not treat another human being this way. If there’s anyone I expect to show Christian love, it’s FUTURE church professionals!”

But you know what? If I ever did have a chance, I wouldn’t say that. Those are porcupine words. Those are not leaving tracks of love.

I would let the individuals know how much they hurt me. I would share with them how it has changed my life, and how well I am doing, and then I would let them know (again) that I have forgiven them.

That would be leaving tracks of love- the white pebbles that people will be able to follow and see what kind of a person I am.

As Max Lucado said so well, “See your enemies, not as God’s failures, but as God’s projects.”

I know that’s hard- and evidently Paul knew that too. Because he talks about vengeance belonging to the Lord.  It’s so easy to say, “Hey, God, you’re moving a little bit too slow than I would like here, I’ll take care of this one and get even, thanks.”

I pray that I see my enemy as God’s child.  And that I leave tracks of love for them to follow.

And I pray that you’re leaving those tracks of genuine love for others to follow you. As I have come to know many of my blog followers I know you do that- that’s why I follow you. (No pun intended). You leave tracks behind- white pebbles- that I see your love and I am happy to follow you and call you my friend.

Do not be overcome by evil or evil tracks you see- be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Help those in need and the pebbles of love will fall out of your pockets in abundance. Jesus loves you, and left quite the trail of pebbles for you to follow in His love. Now, are you going to live it, and continue with the pebble dropping?

Be a Marie. Forgive. Love. Show love, mercy, and drop your pebbles. You never know who will find them and follow you.


Blessings:
-I had another AMAZING day of teaching! SO many good things happened! I got to read "Weekend With Wendell" by Kevin Henkes. 


-I met with my university supervisor this evening. He's so great, and has already shared a lot of wisdom with me. Even though he's grading me, I think I'll get along with him just fine!


-Oh, here is my desk!!! It's tiny, and crammed with stacks of paper already, but I love it! 

-So one of my good friends called just a bit ago and said "Hey buddy, I'm inviting my best friends for coffee tomorrow evening and I want you to come hear about my internship from the summer." It's just amazing to know someone is thinking about you and wants you a part of their life!

-I got to celebrate (briefly) a birthday with another great guy! 

My smile still stretches and wraps around my head. Something tells me it's going to stay that way for a while. And you know what, that's okay! It means I am leaving pebbles/tracks of love.