The Donut Man

Funny.....How I can sit in church and listen to my pastor talk about how loving others is important. And how this is the second greatest commandment Jesus gives us.........

Easy too......when the person you love is loving you back......When they hear you, see you, validate you....

But what if.....

One of my favorite places to visit everyday is Dunkin Donuts. I usually go in the mornings after I drop my kids off at school.  I listen to K-Love on the radio.  Nothing beats K-Love and a cup of hot coffee.....

Right...

That is unless you go at night. Which I did.  And the donut man was there.  I have seen him and heard him.  I have seen his eyes roll and heard his sighs of irritability as I place my order........

Well, this night his sighs threw me and HURT me....so I SIGHED LOUDER and said in my Indignant voice......NEVER MIND and I drove away.....

And then everything was cold.   My heart cold........

Yes it is easy to love when we are being loved back.  But I was not loving.  Real Love is not trying to press someone to response to you the way YOU need them to.  Loving is beautifully hard sometimes and a gently reminder of how Jesus loves us.  His love  flows freely......lavished on us.......endless......its captivating and we don't deserve it.  Jesus was pressed..to the cross.... with nails for ME because he loves me......

Yes, the Donut Man and Me have a lot in common.  We are both broken....but brokenness does not escape GOD'S LOVE