Modeling Love

“Mike is in the hospital again,” I said. “Would you be able to let out the dog?”

There was a distinct pause on the line. “Just a minute,” the woman said. I heard a discussion in the background. Something was wrong.

The last time my husband had been in the hospital, this same couple had rallied around me. They took care of our furry family member. They prayed for me. They even gave me a devotional book that I still treasure today. They were so caring. What had happened?

When she came back on the phone, the woman agreed to help with the dog. I didn’t feel the warmth, but I didn’t have the energy to inquire.

It wasn’t until years later that I learned that my husband and her husband, both elders of the church, had had a falling-out over a sensitive issue. I hadn’t known because church matters were kept confidential. It must have been tough for these people to help someone they felt had wronged them.

While I was being a caregiver—one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do—someone else was modeling Christ’s love and caring for me, even though it was difficult as well.