I just got off the phone with a complete stranger.

The only thing that gives us any connection is that she is desperate for help and she managed to find my number. She has been sick for years and wants to know if there is any hope.

Pastor Jeff mentioned this morning in our men’s group that he recently had someone calling for help and his initial reaction was to cringe.

I think we all do that. Society has inbred that response in us, unfortunately.

I’ll confess — that was my reaction on the phone.

Almost immediately the thought popped into my head: “What if that were you and you wanted to talk to somebody like you?”

Of course thoughts like that are always followed by additional thoughts that kinda beat up on you. I’ve recently been praying to be able to see people like Jesus does (please don’t pray that… it will only get you in trouble!).

You probably know what happened next, right?

“You asked for this.”

Drats! I did.

I’ve been spending some extended time in1 Corinthians 12-14 over the last week and a half. I’m not surprised that I thought of this:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not… proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable…    [12:4-5]

I dealt with her in the way I would have liked to have been dealt with.

Not only was it the right thing to do – it helped reinforce the lesson of how to see like Jesus does.

It felt good, too. I just love the fringe benefits of this being a follower gig…