How Are You?

I was waiting at the school to have lunch with Matthew. I sat down next to a mom I didn't know who was also waiting for her child to come to lunch.

I asked the polite question, "How are you?"

She hesitated for just a second, sighed and with an accent said, "I am tired".

Honestly, she caught me so off guard I didn't even know what to say. People always respond with I'm fine, I'm good, Better than I deserve or something like that.

This woman had been honest. I didn't know what to do with that. And in that moment...I was back in Ethiopia or any other culture across the world. Why? Because this woman wasn't born and raised in the US. She didn't know that you're supposed to say "I'm fine" or "I'm good" even when you're not. I remember having this very conversation with my host mom in Germany. In Germany, they don't just quickly ask you how you are and then keep walking on by. They stop and they listen and they really want to know how you're doing. At least they did in the small town of Zulpich, Germany.

And on that day when I thought I was just meeting Matthew for lunch, I learned something at my son's school. I'm too busy if I don't have the time to stop and really find out how someone's doing. And I'm too busy if I don't have the time to stop and tell someone that I'm really struggling with this or that and I'd really appreciate their prayers. And I'm too busy if I'm just asking "how are you?" out of good manners or obligation, not really willing to invest in the one that I'm asking. And we're just lying when we say "i'm fine" when life is really crumbling all around us.

I read this on facebook today and it penetrated to my heart. It was a reminder to me that people matter and how they are doing matters too.

Have you considered the multigenerational impact of Jesus pouring His life into 12 people? Imagine the fruit if you were to do the same! Dave Buehring