Reaching Out

My husband and son were talking.
I was standing off to the side.
My youngest granddaughter was in her walker, watching and listening.
I was standing behind her.

When I joined in the conversation, my granddaughter heard my voice.
She immediately turned almost completely around in order to see me.
Her determination to see my face touched my heart.
I got down on the floor right next to her so she could see me clearly.

As I was on the floor next to her, she reached out her hand.
At four months old, her hand/eye coordination is getting mastered.
A few of her attempts went past my face.
But then there was contact.

Her tiny hand was on my face.
She was smiling.
Sheer joy seemed to overtake her.
The voice she heard became the face she touched.

It was one of those precious moments.
A moment you cannot truly capture.
She has been doing that lately, my son said.
It was her way of greeting.

My youngest daughter went away for a weekend with her college roommates.
My daughter lived in an apartment on her college campus with three other girls.
This get-away, roommate weekend seems to be a new tradition.
The girls met halfway since one of them lives out of state now.

As they were walking down one of the city streets, people were outside.
There was an air of friendliness and community.
On one patio, someone was grilling and offered food to passersby.
In front of one house, a family was gathered.

A sweet little girl, no more than two years old approached my daughter.
Without hesitation, she reached out and took my daughter’s hand.
The parents were right there and watched all of this take place.
They just smiled.

Even though all the girls were walking, it was my daughter’s hand that was taken.
It melted my daughter’s heart.
After a simple glance into the little girl’s eyes, my daughter had to say, Goodbye.
She let go of the little hand as the little girl went back to her mother.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22-36)

Something happens when we reach out.
Connections are made.
Hearts are touched.
Lives are changed.

Jesus knew that reaching out was important.
How many times did Jesus reach out to touch someone?
In Jesus’ touch there was healing.
In Jesus’ touch there was salvation.

Touching a leper made the other person unclean.
When Jesus touched a leper, everything was in reverse.
Instead of Jesus becoming unclean, the leper became clean.
Reaching out and touching those who no one else would touch mattered to Jesus.

When Jesus walked on the water the disciples were frightened.
No one walks on water.
When Peter recognized Jesus, he asked Jesus to invite him to come to Him on the water.
Jesus did and Peter walked.

When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he walked on the water.
When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and noticed the wind, he sank.
Jesus reached out His hand and caught Peter.
In the reaching out, Peter was saved.

Never underestimate the power of touch.
A simple hand on the shoulder or a gentle touch on the face matters.
Reaching out to shake someone’s hand bridges a gap that often needs bridging.
Reaching out is vitally important.

Children seem to reach out instinctively.
In their innocence, they see no reason not to reach out.
They only see the person that is right before them.
May we be like a child and reach out with ease.

Can you imagine the wave of caring that would be started by simply reaching out?
Are you ready to give it a try?

 

2 responses to “Reaching Out”

1. Reminds me of what I was telling you happened to Jason

   Reply

   • Jen,
     I remember…
     Can you imagine if we all reached out like a child?
     Gina

     Reply