You are the Gift
I was working this morning when my husband called from his office. Though I was busy, I answered because he rarely calls me during the day. He needed a minute to decompress and process out loud about a project. As he talked, my focus was on the clock, I continued typing as I had things I wanted to get done before an appointment… a newsletter to get out, 2 meetings I needed to schedule… and after all, nothing he was saying had anything to do with me.
And yet….
As we continue in the 50-day season of Eastertide, we are focusing on the gifts of freedom and eternal life that Jesus gave us. What wonderful gifts they are!
But consider this: Jesus’ had the greatest mission in history - to save humanity and redeem the world. Yet, while He lived on the earth, walking among men, He spent a lot of time and energy engaging with individuals, giving them the gift of his focused attention and presence.
If we want to be like Jesus, then no matter our mission, we need enough margin and an awareness of the value of others to focus on the one person God is putting in front of us at any given moment.
Jesus did this, and trusted God with the timing of His ultimate purpose – the salvation of mankind.
Taking this a step further, we could say that Jesus also knew His worth (He was after all, the Son of God) and that set the value of the gift of His presence and attention.
What about you and me?
Do we see our focused attention and mindful presence as a gift of great value? We are adopted sons and daughters of the living God. Might this be the greatest gift we can give to those around us?
Cigna (the health provider) did a study and found that 46% of adults report feeling lonely and 47% report feeling left out. Think about that… almost half of adults in the U.S. feel something akin to being “unseen”.
I think Jesus would have seen them and engaged with them in a way that made them feel seen. I think He would have given them His full attention even if only for a few minutes because He understood what a powerful gift it was. And this isn’t just my musing; the scriptures are full stories of Jesus stopping for the “one” in front of Him (Lk 8:43, Matt. 9:27 & 19:13).
I forgot this today on the phone with my husband.
Lord, help me overcome my self-absorption and value people the way you do. They are worth at least a few minutes of my mindful presence and focused, compassionate attention. The world would tell me this is an inconsequential gift; that my presence isn’t that big of a deal. Yet, if the Spirit of Jesus dwells in me, then I am giving the gift of Your presence with every compassionate conversation that flows from my heart. Which makes my presence a valuable gift. Amen.
photo credit: Kostiantyn Li
