Two Months, Too Tired

I recognized the lines of exhaustion that traced her face.

We were both waiting in line at Wal-Mart.  Shopping alone she had gathered her groceries, her baby carriage, and her purse in a cart.  In her arms slept her two month old baby boy.

I stood behind her as we both waited patiently in the long line.

Her arms were growing heavy.  She started to lay her baby in his carrier, but as soon as he parted from the warmth of her grasp, he cried.  Frustrated, she picked him up again to keep him from wailing.

The combination of a long wait and a discomforted baby was weighing on her.  I wanted to say something, anything nice to calm her tensing spirit.  As she shuffled him from shoulder to shoulder, I reached out to her.

She immediately softened, welcoming my compliments and service.  As we continued to wait, I asked her, “How are you?”

The next fifteen minutes we talked about her.  I listened intently, helping her every few moments to rearrange the baby’s carrier and grocery bags as she finally checked out.  Our pleasant attitudes even carried over to the weary cashier, prompting more pleasant conversation.

As we walked to our cars, I wanted to hug her, but instead I wished her a great night and safe drive home.

Jesus helped the lowly, degraded, and tired.  Many times the lowly, degraded, and tired are passed over, denied help.  I am lowly.  I am degraded.  I am tired.  I need help.  We are all lowly.  Degraded.  Tired.  We are all sinners.  God loves me—God loves us.  And so it fills my heart with joy to love others.  It is an overwhelming feeling to love someone so instantly, to care for them, to help them for no other reason than your heart cries for it to be so.  When I love others, I feel God’s love.

Dear God, I thank You every day for loving me.  I am unworthy.  I am evil.  I am a sinner.  But You love me.  Please guide me to show Your love to others in my every day walk.  I am so undeserving, but so thankful for Your grace.  Let me show Your love to everyone; those who are poor or rich, clean or dirty, nice or mean, selfish or unselfish.  Let Your love fill my heart so that it spills over, excited to wash those around me.  I love you, Father.  In Your name I pray.  Amen.