Showing Up (10/10/2025)

The world would be a different place if everyone was more like Cynthia. She was a good friend of mine in elementary school. I’m not sure if she was physically as beautiful as I remember her. I know that she was self-conscious of her leg brace. But in spite of her brace, Cynthia was there when I needed her. She had a way of always showing up when I needed someone.

One day I asked her about it. Kids are like that. They say what’s on their minds. I asked, “Why do you always come just when I need a friend or someone to defend me?” Her answer has stuck with me. She told me, “I remember what it feels like when I needed someone to lean on or to believe in me, and no one showed up.” And I can’t remember another time in my life when I wanted to be more aware of the needs of others, especially of Cynthia.

I bet all of us can remember a time when we were in need and no one noticed, no one helped, no one showed up for us to lean on. How have we responded? Were we able to let that moment of need tenderize us so that we could detect it in others? Or did we steel ourselves and vow to never need another again? I wonder if the latter is what is going on with some individuals who seem to lack empathy and compassion in our world.

The LORD created us in relationship for relationships. The LORD commands us to love one another as we love ourselves. I believe that means we are to exercise empathy and compassion for one another. I believe that means we are to support one another when needed.

As we go forward on our journeys of faith, let us do it with a commitment to live Christ in the world, to see others, to take in their sufferings, their needs, to consider how we would feel, and to respond accordingly. To this day, 60+ years later, whenever I show up for another, I remember Cynthia. I hope and pray that wherever she is, she is aware of what her showing up in my life taught me and made of me.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.