ABC Wednesday: O is for Open

I made her acquaintance through mutual friends.  They had little use for her, so that's the approach I took, also.  For years she would attempt conversations with me, and I would remain very reserved and polite, but never warm.  After all, those mutual friends had good reason not to like her.

Then circumstances changed and my path began to cross regularly with her path.  She spoke to me every time.  Not just, "Hi," but genuine, gracious conversation.  Somewhere in there I began to pray and ask the Lord to allow me to see others through His eyes - not her - just others in general.  That was a sizable prayer with its own obligations, but what I began to see bothered me.

I saw her faithfulness to others.  I saw her always willing to listen.  To help.  To support. And instead of being drawn to her, I supposed that she was working very hard to be someone special.  And for that, I chose to remain aloof from her.

But how can one pray but be unwilling to accept the answer? So I continued to pray.

And  then, amazingly, my ears, my eyes, and my heart were Opened.

I heard her tell me that she shuddered at past decisions and mistakes.  I heard her say she was tempted to withdraw from life and hide, but that God's grace had found her.  I saw her gently cradle the devastated widow.  I saw her hold the hand of the mother whose child is breaking her heart.  I watched as she helped a fractured family find their way to healing.

And when she sat down for a visit with me the other day, my heart smiled at her, my friend.

For other less preachy and more interesting O's, go here!