A few years ago, there was a fad T-shirt design that included the phrase "Been There, Done That!" It still makes me chuckle - as if the wearer actually could have experienced all of life. Even though many of us (families, churches, communities, even sports teams) have shared journeys through a period of time, none of us has had the same set of life experiences. It seems to me that this is where the root of our human misunderstandings begins. Without knowing the deepest details or reasons, we make wrong assumptions!
This summer a friend of mine was startled by my statement that we wouldn't attend the Fourth of July fireworks celebration at a nearby park. "That's un-American!" she exclaimed. What she didn't know was that my wonderful husband, who was born on the 4th of July, is not a fireworks fan. He's not un-American. He just doesn't like the noise! And given that most July 4th celebrations here in the Washington, DC area come complete with high humidity, heat advisories, poor air quality and mosquitoes, he chooses other ways to celebrate his birthday. We do watch the fireworks. We just watch them indoors on TV with a slice of birthday cake!
Many times, my ignorance of others' life experiences (or to be more honest, a lack of interest or prejudice) leads me to the wrong conclusions. If only people wore on their T-shirts what they really had experienced, worried about or feared in this life… Can you imagine it? What might mine say?
"Wife, mother of two, daughter and sister, cousin and friend. Lover of Jesus. OSU Buckeyes fan. Musician. Loves cats and horses. Needs a calculator for math facts. Doesn't floss. Hates brussel sprouts and liver. Scared of oogie spiders and cockroaches. Prefers chocolate to fiber. Insufficient memory at this time…"
What if we all wore a brutally honest T-shirt like mine? Perhaps I'd do a better job of being a kind, compassionate human being if I knew what made someone tick. Perhaps I wouldn't be so over-confident, unresponsive or self-absorbed. Or perhaps I'd run the other way, not really wanting to deal with the fallible person inside. (Self included!)
When I think of Jesus and His compassion and caring for people, all kinds of people, I realize how far I am from living like Him. He went where hearts were tender, lives were wounded and people were lost. He looked to the heart need of a person, forgiving sins and healing with a touch. He shared meals, sorrows and laughter. He understood the frail humanity He came to save. He still does… He has "been there, done that" for us…
- Hebrews 4:15
From our home to yours-
Deb
May be used or reprinted with
written permission. 