I have the best job in the world, I get to help students learn. At least, that is what I am paid to do.
Most days, if I keep my mind open, I am the one who does the learning, and it is the students who do the teaching.
A couple of weeks ago, while going over the characters in a novel, I looked across the table at the young man I was working with. A young man I have known since he was very young. A young man who lives with the struggles of having a diagnosis that is written clearly all over his face. As I looked at him, I felt the strength of his character, his faith, his compassion.
I smiled.
He smiled back.
I said, “I like you.”
He smiled bigger, and said, “I love you.”
My heart broke …
for he reminded, no, he taught me something,
let your words be true.
You see, what I meant in my heart, when I looked at him, was I love you. Not in some creepy way, but in a true, pure heart, I would do anything for him way (at least, I hope that is what I would do).
But I was inhibited, in ‘paid to work’ mode, where saying ‘I love you’ is awkward and inappropriate.
He, though, always says what is true. Oh, he can be a cheeky monkey, teasing and fooling around with the best of them, but he does not understand the world in terms of what is appropriate or compartmentalization, he lets his words be true … all the time.
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15
itsawonderfilledlife 