"Anna, I need help. I'm going to overdose."
I'm not sure if you know what fear is until you've heard someone you love say those words to you. This time, it was my friend Holly who lived caty-corner to my house. So I slipped out of my house and Holly and I sat down and talked under the soft blinking canopy of stars. She talked, I listened. I listened as she talked about her struggles, about the anxiety attacks, arguments with her family, and the desire to overdose and end her life.
"I just want to die," she told me. "Do you see how miserable my life is?!"
"I'm so lucky to have you," Holly said softly.
I assured Holly I loved her and reminded her she was a fighter. It was gonna get better.
What could I say?
When I went back inside, it dawned on me. The beautiful truth about Jesus is that he left it all. Heaven. Glory. Splendor. Perfection. Beauty. To come down to earth infected with disease, death, decay, and damnation. He loved us so much he came down to us. To connect with us. To live life with us. To weep with us. To teach us. But ultimately, to die for us. Because of that, we have a great High Priest who is able to connect with us in our weaknesses. Incredible, isn't it?
So. Application. Sometimes you need to stop trying to bring people up to your level. Instead, bring yourself down to their level. Weep with them. Feel their pain. Hold them tight. Through his example, Jesus showed us the beautiful humility of love. Love always humbles itself and connects with people where they are.
I'm not sure if you know what fear is until you've heard someone you love say those words to you. This time, it was my friend Holly who lived caty-corner to my house. So I slipped out of my house and Holly and I sat down and talked under the soft blinking canopy of stars. She talked, I listened. I listened as she talked about her struggles, about the anxiety attacks, arguments with her family, and the desire to overdose and end her life.
"I just want to die," she told me. "Do you see how miserable my life is?!"
What could I say?
Do you ever have those times when your life is as starkly different as night and day with the person you're trying to reach? And you wonder...how in the world can I ever connect with them? My life is a piece of cake compared to hers! "I'm so lucky to have you," Holly said softly.
I assured Holly I loved her and reminded her she was a fighter. It was gonna get better.
What could I say?
When I went back inside, it dawned on me. The beautiful truth about Jesus is that he left it all. Heaven. Glory. Splendor. Perfection. Beauty. To come down to earth infected with disease, death, decay, and damnation. He loved us so much he came down to us. To connect with us. To live life with us. To weep with us. To teach us. But ultimately, to die for us. Because of that, we have a great High Priest who is able to connect with us in our weaknesses. Incredible, isn't it?
So. Application. Sometimes you need to stop trying to bring people up to your level. Instead, bring yourself down to their level. Weep with them. Feel their pain. Hold them tight. Through his example, Jesus showed us the beautiful humility of love. Love always humbles itself and connects with people where they are.
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