Home > Work > Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love
21 " Even desperate people are slow to ask for help. "
― Edward T. Welch , Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love
22 " The visitor (what Scripture calls the “foreigner” or “alien”) comes first. The visitor who returns comes next. The less popular, the introverts, the marginalized, or those sitting alone come next. Then come the children. Jesus singles them out as examples of the marginalized. “Hi, _______” is offered to as many people as possible, which doesn’t have to be accompanied by a hug or a handshake. "
23 " Knowing and being known—by design we enjoy human connections, and those connections are forged over time through normal interactions and questions that gradually ask for more. Such connections are the foundations for mutual help, and they are helpful in themselves since they are expressions of love. "
24 " You have been given amazing gifts, and I have been praying that God would protect you so you can continue to use them well. "
25 " Greetings, of course, take time. This means our greeting list might be short, because we have a finite amount of time when the church is gathered—or when a friend is walking by on the street. We cannot greet everyone. So here is how we prioritize: The visitor (what Scripture calls the “foreigner” or “alien”) comes first. The visitor who returns comes next. The less popular, the introverts, the marginalized, or those sitting alone come next. Then come the children. Jesus singles them out as examples of the marginalized. “Hi, _______” is offered to as many people as possible, which doesn’t have to be accompanied by a hug or a handshake. "
26 " Love is able to see past the clutter of a disorganized life. "
27 " Whatever our monument might be, we want it to be public, even if the public is one friend. "
28 " You can probably identify your friends’ gifts rather quickly, "
29 " Emotional suffering needs spiritual encouragement. "
30 " Suffering feels like our biggest problem and avoiding it like our greatest need—but we know that there is something more. Sin is actually our biggest problem, and rescue from it is our greatest need. "
31 " We aim to create our own psalms in which we (1) pour out our complaint to the Lord, (2) review God’s promises and his faithfulness, (3) find our rest and comfort in Jesus, and (4) let others know that they, too, can find rest and comfort. Then, when we falter, we ask for help and do it all again. "
32 " One thing I do know is that my helpers were qualified by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. "
33 " When we recount with our community God’s answers to our prayers, we are laying spiritual monuments that we hope will have more endurance than mere stones. "
34 " We are connected to things that have been forced on us, such as the sins of others, "
35 " God has determined that run-of-the-mill people do most of his work— "
36 " So though it’s true that sin itself is not good, to see our sin is good. Whereas sin leads down a burden-filled path, Jesus says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Confession is essential to that life. "
37 " the call to say something does not mean that everything we say is good and helpful. It’s important to know what not to say. Sometimes we may be tempted to respond to someone’s suffering with thoughtless platitudes. "
38 " If we make such comparisons, we might be tempted not to speak of the suffering from our hearts to the Lord because we would consider it whining, which it certainly is not. "
39 " In our attempts to help, we can overinterpret suffering "
40 " Any such acts of love and service make life easier for the suffering person. And a meal is never just a meal; maid service is never merely a timesaver for those served. These acts say to the sufferer, “I remember you”; “I think about you often”; “You are not forgotten”; “You are on my heart”; “I love you.” The time we give to creative strategizing is the power behind such acts. It is unmistakable love that mimics the strategic planning of the triune God’s rescue mission. He planned and acted even before we knew our real needs. "