Thinking outside myself

I had arranged to meet another mom from church at the park last Wednesday for a play date. We had this planned for a few days. I don't know her very well, and Anna has been asking me to get together because she wanted to play with her daughter. It's always a little awkward getting to know someone better (at least for me) and it just happened that we got the call about Bill not getting the job a few hours before the play date. I didn't feel like going anywhere or being with anyone other then my husband, especially someone I didn't know very well. I considered calling to cancel. But, I knew I couldn't because the kiddos would be so disappointed, and something in my gut told me that I should go.

We got to the park on time (how did that happen?) and our new friends were not there. I wondered if I was at the wrong place. Within a few minutes they showed up. She apologized several times (hey, I'm not judging...I am usually late), and then explained why she had been late. She had gotten some unexpected news that was very upsetting. The kind of news that changes your life...and not in a good way. She told me that she was going to call and cancel with me, but then decided that she should still come. We spent the next hour and a half getting to know each a little better. It turned out to be a good thing for me. It got me out of the house, when I was tempted to sit around and feel sad. It got my mind off of me.

It also got me thinking. Sometimes I get so caught up in my own hurts and disappointments, or just my daily life, that I forget to look around at others. I need to think outside myself, and pray for opportunities to be an encouragement. I don't know that I was much of an encouragement to this other mom, but I listened, I told her I was sorry for what she was going through and offered to pray for her. At the moment I didn't have any words of advice...and I don't think she needed that from me. I think she just needed someone to spill her heart too. I know God had a reason for us to meet there that afternoon, and if nothing else it was to teach me. God showed me that sometimes I need to set aside my own pain to listen to someone else.

God has called us to love one another and to bear each another's burdens.

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:2

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." Rom 12:10

Above myself...hmmm...I wonder how many times I have overlooked anothers hurts because I couldn't get my mind off of me?

I think I'll chew on this lesson for awhile.