Recently I have been repeatedly struck by people who are standing, ready to do good. And when I begin to see a pattern emerge in my daily life, I have learned to pay attention as this is often precisely what I need to learn right now. Perhaps it's always been there and I haven't tuned in or perhaps it's being spotlighted for my benefit. Either way, the theme of being prepared to do good is popping for me this Lent.
Pastor Gary at my church sent an email to people at church telling them about the French kids coming and inviting them to volunteer. I received a number of emails from kind-hearted people who were prepared to welcome a stranger.
Then my brother told me stories of the
activistas, church ladies he visited in Mozambique last year who meet regularly and simply walk out into their town, asking how they can help. They bring meals, tend the sick, bring meals to the hungry, visit the lonely, pray for everyone, and despite their extremely limited resources, share with everyone. Dan walked with them and even a year later choked up as he spoke of them as some of the most deeply respected members of their community. I was moved by their readiness to do any good they could.
I reflect often on how the oral surgeon and his team trained for years, developed skills, started a practice, stocked an operating room, and somewhere along the way became kind people- all before they ever met me. And then because of all their preparedness to do me good, they were ready to do me incredible kindness on my very bad day. I feel that my experience with them has tipped the seesaw of my life and I have been able to let go of those who laid in wait to do me evil and also those who were waiting for me in disdain because now I have experienced such a deep readiness to do me good.
People prepared at great expense often for decades so that they were totally ready to do me good. This changes my life. Here are the names of some of these:
Dr Jenny
Sandra
Crystal
Jenni
Sue
Trish
Dr Karin Evan
Amanda
Jane
Sara
Dr. Z
Karen
Amy L
Trista
Kelly
Melissa
Shannon
Ginger
Joe
Tara
Emily
And today I am especially struck by Tim who has paid, dollars and heart, for my healing year after year, working a second job so that I can have the resources to climb out of the hole dug decades before we ever met.
I am filled with gratitude and my life is changed. Because of these good people, I am leaning into becoming someone who stands, ready to do good, too.
