Playing the Scales - The Scale of ME Major (Part Deux)

Playing the Scales - The Scale of Me Major (Part Deux)

OVER THE NEXT several weeks, two of Karen’s other girlfriends joined me in a three-piano concerto. No one had to give us the music or direct us—we just instinctively knew the parts we were to play. Total strangers, challenged with solving problems in areas unfamiliar to us, we could have disagreed on direction or temporary solutions. Instead, we played three-part harmony as if we’d known each other all our lives. We were doing what Christ called us to do—faithfully minister to our sister. But that’s not what was unique about this song. The awesome part of this score was played by my girlfriends.

While I was in the bowels of despair with Karen, and as my husband, Steve, and I grieved for the loss of our dear friend and neighbor, five of my other girlfriends came to our rescue. Shoring us up with resources, contacts, prayers, daily calls, and even food for our family, my friends fueled me so that I could invest in someone else. “My” ministry became “our” ministry.

Usually the one who fetches the water for another thirsty soul, I found myself on the receiving end of the Perrier this time. And just as Aaron and Hur supported the arms of Moses as he played his role in the battle between Israel and Amalek, these girlfriends brought relief to my weary soul as I worked to fulfill my mission. Like Aaron and Hur, my friends were:

Proactive: I never called them—they reached out to me. When you’re caring for someone else, you have no bandwidth to reach out for help for yourself.

Authentic: Their concern for our family went beyond material things; they were there to talk with us—and more importantly, to listen and to pray for us, becoming an extension of our service.

Creative: There were things I needed before I even realized a need. This is critical when your “thinking energy” is used for someone else.

Understanding that I could have gotten tired or burned out during the most important ministry of my life, I knew that to play my part, I had to allow my other performance partners to back me up. Together, we had a mission.

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27)

If you’re currently serving someone in crisis, expand your ministry by allowing others to participate by ministering to you. Or if you know of a girlfriend who is caring for someone else, reach out and take care of her. Love doesn’t have to be shown by doing extraordinary things; we just have to choose to prop each other up so we don’t get tired.