Can we do this another time?

Arriving back to normal life hasn't been the easiest adjustment.  I have so many thoughts, and a different worldview than ever before. If you know me well, you know I am a talker. I am a verbal processor, though many times I am unwilling to tell you what is really on my heart. But when I am ready to tell you, I expect you to listen. Not because I think my thoughts are superior, or even worthy of being heard. I don't expect you to drop everything you are doing to hear the ramblings of what has trickled from my brain to my heart. But as a friend, I do expect you to listen. I expect you to care. I expect, however naively it may be, that you would want to take a general interest in my well-being.

Recently I had plans with a friend. This friend knew there had been a stirring in my heart upon my return to so called "normal life." I hadn't discussed this with anyone else, as I had been processing myself for a week or so, but I found myself suddenly ready to process with a close, trusted friend. As the time drew near to meet up and chat I received a text that has stuck in my head since. It said "I`m tired. Can we do this another time?"

"Yea, we can do this another time."

The words "do this" stung a bit. It is quite possible that I am totally overreacting, but hear me out. How many times do we put others off and ask to do this another time (myself included). How many times did Jesus do this another time?

How about the time when Jesus healed the leper (Mt 8:1-3; Mk 1:40-42). What if the story went like this...
"When he (Jesus) came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean!" And Jesus said, "Listen, I just did this sermon, and I am exhausted. Can we do this another time?"

How about raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44)? What if the story were like this...
"Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of Lazarus said to him, "Lord by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days." Then Jesus said, "Four days? Gross. He will reek. Can we do this another time? I am ill equipped to deal with that stench right now."

Fortunately for us, that is not the way the stories go. Jesus, though tired, emotional, and physically drained, reached out and touched lepers. He raised dead men from the grave. He performed miracles no matter what people thought, or what was going on around him.

I can think back many times where I have been the person that doesn't want to deal with someone else's stench. I, in a round about way say, "Can we do this another time?" in hopes that the stench will go away. That is not what Jesus did.

Be intentional friends. Don't ask people "Can we do this another time?" Be present. Be an ear. Be a shoulder to cry on. Be a hug. Be a smile. Be a friend. Be like Jesus.