HE LOVED US FIRST
WRITTEN BY MIRYNA VAN AS
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Peter walked into the kitchen sweeping his slippers across the floor. He sat down and folded his hands around a hot cup of coffee, staring through the window the streets were filled with autumn colors. It was a lazy Saturday morning for most people, but Peter sat there thinking of everything he had to do this weekend. For a moment, he thought about what had happened in the last two weeks, and with that thought he sat back in his chair and sighed.
Missy walked into the kitchen, barely awake she gently kissed him on the head and turned to pour herself a cup of coffee. “You’re up early dear.” She said and tucked in her night gown. She sat down next to him at the table. “Yes, I have a few errands to run today, did you sleep well?” he asked and faintly smiled at her. She knew that he has been under a lot of pressure at work lately and did what she could to support him. She looked at him with sympathy and answered. “Yeah I slept well thanks.” She looked down at the cup in her hands, they both were silent for a while. “so, what’s troubling you dear?” She asked with a slight frown. She knew him well and like the loving wife she was, she always hungered to make things easier for him.
They both served God and were giving their everything to be the absolute best servants they could. Missy has been a believer for most of her life but Peter had only recently committed his life to Jesus. They both still had a lot to learn and life wasn’t giving Peter a head start either. Knowing they were both in this together made it easier for them. They could spend time and talk about these kinds of things. They trusted God and has seen Him come through for them many times but it was also clear that life with God was not going to be simple. Every day was a lesson, every day was a new challenge but every day was always a new opportunity for them to get to know God and see what He was willing to do for them and do through them.
Peter smiled and looked at her over his glasses. “Don’t look so worried, its nothing serious, I guess I’m just a little puzzled.” He paused for a while then continued. “You know how Pastor Ned has been talking about that verse about being imitators of Christ, what was it again?” He asked staring into the corner with his hand on his chin like he was really trying to find that verse somewhere in his head. “yeah, Ephesians 5:1-2 its says to imitate Christ by walking in love as He did” She replied with interest. “yes that verse, so the last couple of weeks I’ve really been trying to notice things you know, like really pay attention to people around me and to see their needs.
We have been so caught up in our busy life styles that no one ever really knows what is going on around them anymore.” He said. “yes that’s very true” she replied. “So I’ve tried to really walk in love and it just seems like the more I try and the more I do…..things just, I don’t know. Like, am I doing something wrong? Am I doing enough? I know we should treat others as we want to be treated, but it feels like it doesn’t matter with how much grace and patience I treat people the world just simply hates you for it. It just makes you tired sometimes.” He said feeling like maybe he was ranting a bit.
Peter was dealing with a lot of extra things lately. His boss was putting more pressure on him, his car was giving trouble, he lost his wallet and a whole lot of things was just giving him a hard time all at once. Peter shared everything with his wife. They were close and he felt safe with her. She knew that he has been trying hard and that his actions were sincere. In the last few days, he gave his trainers to a poor lady. He paid for a young boys’ meal and he spent all his time before work one morning helping an elderly man.
The man he helped stood on the corner each morning with his stand selling coffee and muffins to the locals just trying to make ends meet. This morning he was walking with a limp as he had sustained a leg injury which made it hard for him to push his cart. The cart slipped from the side walk and crashed into the street with some of the goods he had prepared. Peter noticed and ran up to him, he picked up his cart and everything that was scattered around it, gave him some cash to make up for his loss and pushed his cart all the way to the corner where he stood each morning. Peter knew that he would probably be late for work but he also knew that if he did not help this man that he would not have made it for the morning rush and that selling these items was probably his only source of income.
Missy looked out into the street with a smirk. Peter looked at her and knew that his questions did not come as an surprise to her. “You know darling, it’s probably never going to change, this world is going to keep throwing curve balls at you” she said and looked at him. “People are going to treat you bad some times and things are going to happen whether you do walk in love or not. Life is not going to get easy now that you serve Jesus and you’ll probably still have a few mountains to climb but it’s really about knowing that you have peace with God. Knowing that it doesn’t matter what you go through, because He will always be there and get you through it.
You can step into a difficult situation tomorrow and smile with an easy heart because you know, His already there. God never said it’s going to be a smooth ride, it’s going to get rough but it’s going to be worth it, because in these times where we need to trust God, that is where He gets to show us that He really is looking out for you, that He really wants to take care of you and do the impossible. It’s really in these times that we have an opportunity to see Gods goodness.
I actually want to read a piece to you.” She said and quickly browsed through her phone searching for the verse she wanted to read. “This is from 2 Corinthians 12:9 – 10” She said and started reading. “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
She put her phone down and took his hand in hers. “Dear I am so proud of you and it’s an absolute joy for me to share this journey with you. Know this too darling, that when you go out and you walk in love sharing your precious time, energy and money on people that sometimes won’t even appreciate it, your shining a light into the world, your planting a little seed of love and you will almost never get to see it blossom but every time you treat someone with love whether they deserve it or not, a piece of darkness dies.
When you find yourself in a situation with people and they have mistreated you, you have a choice to either act out with anger and insults or to respond with love. When you do go with love, it doesn’t mean your weak, it doesn’t mean your submitting to them. It means you have control, it means that you are stronger than you were before and that satan has failed at trying to ruin your peace.
The enemy is losing ground in your life and in the lives of those around you because what you are doing is changing you, what you’re handing out is growing larger inside of you and he is going to try and get you to stop because what you are carrying is the love of Jesus and if there is ever anything that could stop him dead in his tracks, its Jesus Christ. He knows that he has already lost and there is nothing he can do so he can only try and make you believe that a life with Jesus isn’t worthwhile. I promise you dear, you will gain so much more than you lose and I will be right here with you fighting the same enemies with you on my knees.”
Peter sat there and looked at her with a lump in his throat. She could see that he felt relieved. In that moment, he was so happy that she never gave up on him, that God never gave up on him. He knew that he had done so much bad things in his life and that he was the last person to complain. All at once he understood and it was like all the pressure that had built up in his chest had cleared. He smiled at her, took her head in both hands and kissed her on the forehead. “You are a remarkable woman” He said and stood up. “Let’s go out for breakfast” he continued feeling like he had something to celebrate and took their cups to the sink.
Monday morning Peter walked into the building where he works, greets the lady at reception like he always does, but notices that she looked a little more excited to see him than usually. “Peter, wait! Look, some guy dropped this off this morning. “She said and handed him something. He looked down in disbelieve. It was his wallet. Nothing was missing, everything was in place except for a white piece of paper that stuck out of the back. “It’s yours, isn’t it? The receptionist asked after a while. “yes, yes, it is. Thank you.” He said still staring down at his wallet. “Well you have a nice day then Peter, see you around” She said and headed back to the front desk. “Thanks Jane, you too.” He said and pulled out the piece of white paper. He opened it and it had something written on it.
Hello.
You don’t know me but I’ve seen you around a lot. I work at the coffee shop down the road and seen you come in there a few times. I saw you give your shoes to that lady the other day. She’s been walking these streets for years now and the shoes she was wearing was the only pair I have ever seen her in and it has been beat up like that since the beginning. She only managed to stitch them up a few times. I’ve never seen anybody so happy in my life. When you walked away, she looked up at the sky and said: thank you, guess she was talking to God, I don’t know.
Anyway, Mr. Taylor told me about this guy that helped him the other day with his cart and said that when he ran off that he dropped his wallet. He asked me if I knew the person on the ID and I recognized your face. Knew where you worked from your business card.
You have inspired me sir and I really wish there were more people like you. I have also seen you pray with some people, maybe you could pray for me some day. I’d like to know more about the God you pray to. Not really a believer or whatever you know, but hey thought I could give it a shot. Seems to be working for you so why not. Anyway, you have a good day sir.
Mike from Coffee 88
Peter stuck his wallet with the note in his pocket, shook his head and smiled. “What on earth have I been doing without You all these years” He softly said to God as he headed for his office.