At a chaplain’s luncheon meeting that I attended some years ago, our leader introduced the devotional time with a reading of “The Crazy Quilt of Life” written by Barbara Battin and published in Women Psalms. I share it with you because I think it is such a beautiful description of what God intends every community of persons to be in our world, that is “a blanket of love.”
“In the pattern of God’s purpose, we are stitched together in caring and community: scraps of the lingering past, fragments broke from future’s dearest hopes; textures of disappointment and dreams, prints of pain and promise: calico and corduroy, stripes, silks, and satins – all the colors of emotion and experience are sewn into a crazy quilt of life, patched together and transformed into a blanket of love… and our compassion comforts a cold and hurting world.”
Mother Teresa is quoted as saying, “I am a pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” Whether we speak of being a love-writing pencil or part of a blanket of love, we are saying that God created us to be his means of loving the world.
I gratefully thank God every day for those many persons who do care about others and will go out of their way and take the time to enrich the life of another with love. There simply is no greater reward of feeling worth and satisfaction than that given to those who sincerely care about others and relate to them with loving words and works.
It has been noted that right after September 11, 2001, people’s behavior changed dramatically. Strangers seemed to show more interest in each other. Drivers gave way to other drivers and rudeness seemed to have ebbed considerably. Most of us noted and enjoyed the change. But sadly, it did not take long for many people to revert to their old snobbish and selfish habits, caring only about themselves and believing that the world revolved around them.
William Sloane Coffin is correct in stating that “There is no smaller package in the world than a man wrapped up in himself.” Probably we all can think of someone who would fit that description. And my guess is that they are individuals we try to ignore or avoid in our life because they are not fun persons to be around. And if you happen to get stuck working besides such an individual it makes for a long stressful workday.
That should be enough motivation for all of us to be deliberate in our efforts to not become such a “small” person. It should encourage us to always remember the instructive words of Brother Lawrence when he said, “We must not grow weary of doing little things for the love of God, who looks not on the great size of the work, but on the love in it.”
Brother Lawrence is echoing the apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatian Christians, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for in the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (6:9-10).
And the disciple, John, in his first letter writes, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (3:18).
I pray that we will want to be stitched together with others who care and love, and in doing so, become a “blanket of love” in our community, bringing much needed comfort to this cold world of emotional, physical, and spiritual distresses. The payoff is priceless, meaningful, and ever so satisfying. In fact, such loving behavior has the promise of heavenly reward.
A song I remember as a youth singing in our church is “I Would Be Like Jesus.” It has an easy, rhythmic melody and made an impression on my young life that guided me through the teen years and still does. These are the words:
Earthly pleasures vainly call me – I would be like Jesus;
nothing worldly shall enthrall me – I would be like Jesus.
He has broken ev’ry fetter – I would be like Jesus;
that my soul may serve Him better – I would be like Jesus.
All the way from earth to glory – I would be like Jesus;
telling o’er and o’er the story – I would be like Jesus.
That in heaven He may meet me, I would be like Jesus;
that His words “Well done” may greet me, I would be like Jesus.
Refrain:
Be like Jesus – this my song – in the home and in the throng,
be like Jesus all day long! I would be like Jesus.
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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 21, 2021
Ray M. Geigley
Healing Rays of Righteousness 
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