Be Jesus

One of the things that I have been struck with this year is the acute awareness of how each of us are carrying our own burdens.  And I don’t mean that in a negative sense, as in we are all alone carrying these burdens.  What I mean is that pretty much all of us face each day with a smile of sorts on our faces, and most of the rest of the world doesn’t have a clue about the struggles going on in our hearts.

We try to hide the pain.  We try to push it away, so it doesn’t show on the outside.  We keep it tight to ourselves so that the outside world doesn’t have a clue what we are going through.  Sometimes we fail.  Sometimes we lose it just a little.  But for the most part, we tend to bury our emotions, and no one would be the wiser. . .unless we take the time to dig into others. 

I was struck by this thought again especially this fall after losing 3 of our family members within 6 weeks.  One of my piano parents had made the comment that they couldn’t believe that I could still teach piano after dealing with these deaths.  What she didn’t know is that I was in the middle of a piano lesson and had to finish out my day after I found out that my brother-in-law went to be with Jesus.  Not sure how I did it.  The day I found out that my father-in-law had died (which was the day after I found out that my nephew had been killed in a car accident) I had to right away go into teaching 12 students.  We move on.  We compartmentalize and do what needs to be done.

And so, having done that these past few months, I’ve realized that so many people are walking around doing the same thing.  So many people are walking around shrouded in pain that we don’t see etched on their faces, but if we were to dig – even just a tiny little bit – more than likely we’d find out about some of the struggles they are facing.  Not all the struggles are “big” like a death.  I can tell you that more than likely most of the struggles wouldn’t be that life changing, but they are BIG to the person walking that road.  It might be a family member not following Jesus and the agony that brings.  It might be a defiant child that causes upheaval in the family.  It might be the day to day dealings of a child with needs or special health issues.  It might be a marriage that is falling apart at the seams.  But we each go forward.  We put on the “life is fine” face and move through our days. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying it’s wrong to do that.  We need to do that in order to function each day.  But what I was reminded of this year again, was that so often we meet people and they look like they are fine, but their hearts are broken.  Tears may be right there.  Agony may be lurking right around the corner. 

And we have the opportunity to help.  We have the opportunity to heal.  I can tell you that a mere text from someone telling me that they prayed for me that day has brought me to tears so many times.  A small gesture like a plate of muffins or cookies can soften the most difficult moments.  And truthfully a hug from a friend can ease a lot of pain and agony during life’s difficult moments. 

One of my biggest pleasures in teaching piano is to see a student come into a lesson and realize that life is tough for this little one, but that I have the opportunity to change that.  It might not be “adult level” tough, but whatever the case, their face tells a story of a struggle.  And I love to make it my mission to turn those sad faces into smiles.  It doesn’t always work.  But I LOVE to work hard to send them out of my studio smiling.  I generally don’t know what the issue has been, and I also know it sometimes is the fact that “they have to” be at piano.  I remember having one student come for lessons and I could see life had been tough.  The first few songs were evidence that his heart was not here.  Tears were close.  And so, I said “let’s forget about playing today”.  Let’s do something that has nothing to do with practicing, scales or work.  And then the tears came.  I put my arm around him and told him piano was not important today and that he shouldn’t even give it a thought.  I pulled out some of my games (okay, so they were piano related. . .) and we spent the rest of the lesson forgetting the pain and just healing and releasing at least for those moments from whatever it was that plagued him. He left the studio smiling and laughing and at least for a moment, a little lighter. Other times, I’ve had the opportunity to pray with students who share difficult things with me.  These are times and moments that I cherish.  Those are the moments that I think “THIS is why I teach piano.”  I love helping my students make music, but even more, I am thankful when I can put a song in their hearts instead.

I know as adults we don’t always wear our emotions on our sleeves that way, so finding out how someone is doing can be more difficult.  But it is possible.  And as we move into this new year, I encourage each one of you to join me on this journey of taking the time for others.  Take the time to check out how others are feeling.  Take time to smile at a cashier even though they might not be.  We do not know what they are going through.  We don’t know the storms they are facing even though they are holding their head up high.  Let’s take the time to consider others.  Be patient. But even more, try to find out what is troubling them.  Try to offer them love.  Try to be Jesus to each person you encounter.  Because you never know what sort of agony, or heartbreak that person is facing at that very moment.  You never know, how your gift of Jesus’ love, could be the very thing that saves them. 

The song that follows is not my style of music, but it does speak very clearly the message I think we all need to hear and follow.

So I encourage you:  Be Jesus to Someone Today