One of our Aglow leaders is an artist, and often helps local theater groups with set designs and painting. Recently she worked a children's production. Our leader writes, There were four of us on the design team, two of whom were new friends.
The first time I looked at one of the women l had to wonder if she was a woman or a man, due to her hair style, overalls, and general first impression. I knew her preference very soon when she told me that the girl playing the lead role was her girlfriend's daughter referring to her as ‘our daughter’. She was anxious to learn to paint, and I was delighted to show her some tricks of the trade. We had a great time working together.
Being the oldest member of the design team, and having back issues, they were all looking out for me like a bunch of mother hens making sure I didn't hurt myself. My new friend also had severe neck and shoulder pain. As we were painting a set together, she was laying on the ground to paint the bottom of the set, and I knew she was in a lot of pain. I asked her to let me paint that for her because I knew it was hurting her. Her response absolutely blew me away. She told me that she would rather take the pain than to see me hurting.
Immediately the Holy Spirit began to show me her tender heart and love for people. She was demonstrating Jesus' sacrificial love. As I was thinking about it later that night the Lord told me that He had created her with His own heart of compassion. She was exhibiting Father God's love. I decided to give her a card expressing those thoughts. When she read it she began to weep and then hugged me.
The church today tends to look past the heart and only on what is ‘wrong’ in someone's life. God told me not to call unclean what He calls clean. So I decided to let her know how God sees her. It was amazing. I don't think that had ever occurred to her that God loves her.
We have connected and will continue to work together on theater projects. She is asking me about God, and I am thrilled to share my experience with her. What a wonderful privilege to partner with the Holy Spirit and share God's love.
As we reach out with the love of God to those around us, we cannot be ‘put off’ by their outward appearances. A group of men, each with a stone in his hand, were ready to stone a woman caught in adultery. As Jesus began to write in the dirt that day, each man dropped his stone and went away. After the last one left, Jesus said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Neither do I accuse you. Go your way and sin no more.”
Another woman who came to a well to fill her water bucket had a life changing encounter with Jesus, too. When He asked about her husband, she replied that she did not have a husband. That encounter with Jesus caused her to leave her bucket, run back to her town and speak in such a way, that others left what they were doing to, ‘Come see a man!’
We are carriers of the Presence of God. Each day, everywhere we go, God goes with us. Everyone we meet has the opportunity to have a life changing encounter with the Living God who lives inside of us. Show mercy. Extend grace. Pour out love. See with the eyes of Heaven, not the eyes of earth.