Do we see with our hearts or just our eyes?
So yesterday was a sad day in the Wetterlin household. Our little wiener dog of 10 years with us, and who knows how many before, went to sleep for the long nap. I had mixed reactions to this passing. The poor old guy was very old and getting sicker by the day. His care was getting more and more involved. It was time for him to go. When Laura called me and told me he was actually at the point of painful suffering yesterday I took it rather matter of factly it was time to put him down. Taking him to the vet and putting him to sleep was something that needed to be done and I was ready to do so. I saw our little dog with the eyes of logic and good care.
Laura on the other hand saw little wienie with the eyes of her heart. When she looked at him trembling and she was moved with pity deep in her soul. She knew it was time but she didn't want him to go. Her grief was tangible and came pouring out in sobs.
I had a decision to make. I could either continue to move through the process of burying him with the calculated "this needs to be done" mindset which saw my wife's grief as an obstacle of what needed to be done. Or I could choose to be moved with pity for my wife in her suffering and open up to see her with my heart. I choose to reach out to her and to share the memories of our little doggy having joyful little memories and holding her as she cried.
In Luke chap 10 we have the story of the good Samaritan. Jesus is asked how to gain eternal life. The answer give is to love God first and then love your neighbor as yourself. The teacher of the law who asked this question tries to justify himself by asking a follow up question, "Who is my neighbor." Jesus tells the story of a man traveling from Jericho to Jerusalem who is robbed and left for dead. A priest saw him and passed by on the other side continuing on his way. A Levite saw him and passed by on the other side continuing on his way. A Samaritan saw him and was moved with pity.
All three men saw this half dead beaten man on the side of the road. Their eyes worked fine. Only one of the men felt pity for the man and was willing to care for him because of it.
When we look at the people in our lives, family, friends, colleagues, or strangers beaten in the street are we moved with pity? When we see them half dead emotionally, spiritually, socially, or physically are we moved with compassion to act? We all have the choice to make.
I could have simply seen the grief of my wife and moved over to the other side of the road to simply carry out the deed of burying our dog who had lived a full and long life. But instead I choose to be moved by pity and compassion to care for her and comfort her.
May we all see with our hearts today and choose to be moved the way the Samaritan was moved, the way Jesus was moved time and time again by the desperate need of the people around him. I pray we would truly see today.
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