What’s The Hurry?
John Ortberg once said, "Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day." I would say that hurry is also a great detriment to building relationships.
Why are people always in a hurry? Have you ever noticed when people ask how you are doing they rarely slow down long enough to make eye contact? Or how waiting at a stop light takes so long? Or when listening to songs on your AirPods, you forward to the next song rather than waiting for the empty space in between the songs?
You have likely heard the platitude, Be present in the moment. What does that really mean? Maybe it is a sign of my age that I am starting to ponder the full magnitude of that statement. What it is like to be present not just when life is great and we are living on a mountaintop, taking in the incredible views but even the boring, mundane, and ugly moments of life. I have a feeling it starts with slowing down long enough to take a deep breath, but involves so much more.
Gaining information is not the same as transformation. We can read all the books about slowing down, being a good listener, and using body language when talking with others, but it is another thing to put that into practice.
Our world celebrates speed and getting as much done as possible each day. I have heard people brag about how many days in a row they work or how many tasks they can complete in an afternoon (I'm sad to admit that maybe I have said that once or twice in my life.)... wow! What does that say about our value of the good life? Do we value task completion or connection with others?
So could hurry be the sign of a cluttered list of priorities? A disordered heart, even? Are we afraid that if we slow down, we will miss something? Are we scared to slow down and experience all of that life has to offer? I know what you are thinking… "yes I can slow down, but only if I know something good will come out of it". If we slow down are we scared to also feel the pain?
For a moment, let’s examine the pace of Jesus. Simply put: Jesus was never in a hurry. His life was full, but not overly full. Much of the time that he interacted with people was through interruptions. He would be teaching or heading to another location and sometimes even attempting to get away to pray to His Heavenly Father but then he would be interrupted by an individual that needed healing or had a question. However, I also notice that He was never bothered by the interruptions.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing for me. I usually have a to-do list each day and I barrel ahead because I can’t be interrupted. I might think, “I’ll call that person when my list is done” or “I don’t have time for him/her because of my list.”
What about you?
Jesus’ pace was not about how many miles He could walk each day or how many people He could heal in an hour. He was present to each moment, each individual and their needs, in any type of situation.
In Luke 8:43-48, we read about the "woman with the issue of blood". Her story appears in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. She is described as having suffered from an unspecified, chronic bleeding for twelve years. Despite spending all her resources on doctors, she remained unhealed. She was considered unclean due to her condition, which caused her isolation and hardship. She believed that if she could just touch Jesus' garment, she would be healed. Upon touching his garment, the woman's bleeding immediately stopped. Jesus, sensing a release of power, asked who had touched him. When the woman revealed herself, He acknowledged her faith and declared her healed. Jesus didn’t respond with irritation or by scheduling her into His to-do list for another day; He was present to her at exactly the moment she needed Him. Even when the disciples tried to send her away and keep Jesus moving on the planned journey, He turned all of His focus on her. He was present in the moment; it was all about her and her needs. He responded with acceptance and grace and the rest of the world would wait while He focused on her.
Yesterday I was privileged to spend time with two women; the first for a coffee date in the morning and the other a meal in the afternoon. In both situations, we simply spent time talking and listening to each other, sharing about our lives, and enjoying those moments together. Those two women do not know each other however they are equally special to me. They shared stories about their lives and asked questions about mine. Neither conversation was hurried but enjoyed and savored like drinking a nice hot latte while watching the sun rise. I found myself calm, at peace, and learning from both of them the value in simply being present.
When we follow Jesus' pattern for living, we slow down and stay present in the moment, we are aligning our pace with Jesus, and we naturally become more loving, calm, and full of joy. Our focus becomes less about us and more about others. We appreciate the value of others and the relationships we build with them.
So friend, learn from Jesus and stay present in the moment. Life is fleeting, you don’t want to miss a single second of time spent with others. Take a lesson from Jesus and walk beside others, not in front or behind. We honor Jesus when we truly connect with others on a deeper level and build stronger relationships.
So, what is your hurry?
