May 15

Baggage (Lessons on Comforting Others)

Finally, all of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds.

1 Peter 3:8 (NLT)


Last night, I blew it. I said something I shouldn’t have. It didn’t seem so awful, but it did reveal something—a lack of sympathy, a genuine lack of humility, and anything but a tender heart.

Over the phone, my wife had been explaining her frustration with the airline that somehow lost her bag and now had no idea where it could be.

“Sweetheart, this is absolutely the pits,” she began. “They still haven’t found it!”

Over a thousand miles from home she was without a warm coat, a change of clothing, and all the wonderful gifts she had made for her dearest friends. More than a little insensitive, I chortled how funny it would be if it suddenly reappeared on the carousel here when she deplaned. Yuck, yuck!

Silence.

It wasn’t much of a dig perhaps but enough to hurt her and leave me thinking, Oh, no. What have I done now?

“I’m sorry,” I chimed. She continued our conversation, so I guessed it worked.

But later, it hit me: my wife needed encouragement I hadn’t been quick to give. I know I’m not the only one guilty of this. Paul reminded the Corinthians that God comforted them in their troubles so they could comfort others (2 Cor. 1:3-4). Hadn’t my wife comforted me so many times in the past? I should have done the same.

The lessons for me were these: listen before I speak, think of the other person and not my need for humor and attention, and finally, love others with a full heart and kind words. Really, it’s the least I can do. By the way, my wife did get her bag back ... and, oh yeah, I found my heart ... again....

Father, forgive my selfish spirit. Open my ears and my heart to better understand and share your love. Amen.