Boots on the Ground

The other day I saw someone who I had not seen in a long time. This sweet lady kept my three young sons when I went back to work after being home for about a year when Ty and Eli were born. She loved my kids so well. I never worried about them when they were with her. Never. When I saw her, she walked right up to me and gave me the warmest, best, biggest hug. This was not one of those side pats. Nope. This was serious. It was so good that it has stayed with me weeks later. It was so memorable that as I tell you about it I do it with tears in my eyes. And do you know why? Because she made me feel so very loved. With something as simple as a hug.

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In the last couple of months, I have been completely overcome by this one word . . . love. We throw it around like it’s no big deal. We use it to talk about how we feel about our husband, best friend, and mom. Or we may be talking about our favorite restaurant, new shoes, hair cut, or manicure–obviously! How is it that I use the same word to describe my feelings for Trip as well as creme brulee? Hmmmm . . . I keep waiting for all these thoughts to come to an overarching culmination . . . some great big lesson learned. But it’s just not happening. God just keeps on pushing and pressing and revealing. And I just can’t quite get my head around all of it. So, I thought that I would share where I am. Right now. Right here in the midst of this great, big, enormously small word. I have carried this word around with me my whole life. For 24 years anytime I introduced myself I said it. “Hi, I’m Jennifer Love. Nice to meet you.” Yet I never stopped to think about the significance of the name bestowed upon me.

As a christian, I have been taught how much God loves me and you. I have sung the songs since I was a child, Jesus loves me this I know and Jesus loves the little children. I know it and have never doubted. But, this isn’t exactly the direction God has been nudging me. It hasn’t been in how much God loves me but in His call on my life to love others. And quite honestly my motivations.

The questions have been coming relentlessly. Why are you going to church? Why are you teaching Sunday school? Why do you help with the youth? Why would you write a blog? Why do you do any of these things? Is it to be heard? To have a voice? To feel important? To feel like you are doing “something” with your life? And as the questions have come and I have begun to examine myself the verse in 1 Corinthians rings in my ears, “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1) So, all that I do, whether I am doing it for my family or friends or a perfect stranger I am to do out of love. And if I do it for any other reason, chances are it will be obvious. All those words and actions done in order to prop myself up will be nothing more than annoying and unpleasant. Have you heard a gong? I wouldn’t want someone following me around with one! And I would hate to think that when I open my mouth to speak that is what people hear.

So, how do we do this? How do we love someone who has hurt us or someone we’ve never even met? It’s quite simple really and yet at the same time the most difficult thing we may ever do. We choose to. Just like that. Hallmark wants us to think that it’s a feeling that manifests and stays with us forever. Well, I’m going to call bull on that. Anyone who has been married for longer than 1 week or has a friend who has been in your life for 30 years knows that there are going to be conflicts. Feelings come and go. I can go where the grass is seemingly greener. Or I can tend the plot of land I have been given. I can stay the course. Or not.

For those of you with children, particularly small babies, that choice is difficult at 2:00 am. You are so tired. You have already gotten up 3 times to put that passy back in. But you CHOOSE to love someone who can offer you very little in return. You get up. Or what about hubby laying next to you when the baby wakes up at 2:00 am for the 3rd time? He is oblivious. That choice is a little more difficult. What about your teenagers who do really dumb things for no apparent reason? The line can feel so fine between heart-bursting love and red, hot anger. But, this is family right? We have to love family. Well, no. We don’t. We decide to.

What about people who aren’t our family? What about that person on the other end of the phone line telling me my package isn’t going to be delivered. I NEED that package. YESTERDAY! I can be rude. I don’t even know her. Who says I have to be kind in my frustration? Uhmmmm . . . God does.

This all feels really cliche to me. We read so much these days about being inclusive and tolerant. Social media is filled with so much advice about loving yourself and being accepting of others. And the news! Talk about a clanging cymbal! Honestly, that is the last thing that I want this blog to communicate. I’m tired of reading all the WORDS about love. I want to see someone actually doing it. Boots on the ground. That’s all that really matters. “Faith expressing itself through love.” (Galations 5:6) Save the sermon for another day. I want to see our love.

So, how does love manifest towards others both those we know intimately as well as those we only know in passing? It takes on many forms and sometimes we don’t recognize it at first glance. What do boots on the ground look like?

~Love is patient . . . to the really slow cashier at Wal-Mart

~Love is kind . . . to the friend who needs my listening ears.

~Love is not jealous . . . when I see everyone’s vacation pics on Facebook.

~Love is not boastful . . . when what I said would happen happens.

~Love is not proud . . . when I get the promotion at work over other coworkers.

~Love is not rude . . . when I’m in a bad mood and my kids are being loud and obnoxious.

~Love does not demand its own way . . . when I want something but my husband does not.

~Love is not irritable . . . before I have had my coffee in the morning.

~Love keeps no record of wrong . . . even of that friend who talked about me behind my back.

~Love rejoices when the truth wins . . . “No, she isn’t any funnier/smarter/prettier/better than I am. She has her gifts. I have mine!”

~Love never gives up . . . on that family member who can’t seem to shake the addiction.

~Love never loses faith . . . in the power of Almighty God to do the impossible.

~Love is always hopeful . . . for that child who just can’t seem to make right decisions.

~Love endures through every circumstance . . . EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE.

Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan. Samaritans were despised by Jews. Not just disiked. I am talking loathed. Abhorred. Detested. A Samaritan man came upon a Jewish man stripped and badly beaten almost to death. Despite the bad blood between the two people groups, Sammy (I just made up that name) tried as best he could to bandage the man’s wounds. He put the man on his donkey and took him to an inn where he continued to take care of him. When Sammy had to leave, he paid the innkeeper with silver. And even said that if the injured man needed anything else that he would pay for it. These two people were total strangers. Enemies. BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

This parable shows love as sacrifice. And it most definitely is that. But, it doesn’t have to be so big. It can be a phone call, a text, a $5 dollar bill. It can be stopping by for a visit. It can be a thank you, excuse me, let me help you with that door. It’s adults who volunteer to help with children’s programs at church even after their own kids are long gone. Grandparents lending a hand when mom needs a nap or a massage or just 30 minutes of quiet. Let’s don’t make it too complicated. It’s not.

Jesus tells us to do the most simply difficult thing a person can do. He did it. He gave it all. Everything. His very life. For us. For love. Now it’s our turn. We can walk around with our heads in the sand pretending that we don’t see others around us. Or, we can choose to lose our lives by giving it away. To Him. To our neighbors. And in turn, gain everything that we have always wanted. Joy. Peace. Abundance.

Boots on the ground.

Let’s do this.