mother theresa had a purity i envy and long for. i love the purity she had in all aspects of her life, specifically in her devotion. she spent countless years serving our God in India. she was surrounded by death, disease and pain, but was able to say of each person she loved, “each of them is Jesus in disguise.”
mother theresa dreamed a lot like i dream. she wanted to see the kingdom of heaven come to the earth, but she was content with an understanding that Christ was bringing his kingdom to earth through her…not in whole, but to a small few. her immediate influence wasn’t huge. in fact, of her own work, she stated, “what i am doing is but a drop in the ocean.” she later said, “there are no great things. only small things done with great love.”
there are three quotes above, with more wisdom than i would dare to ask to receive in my entire life. over her years of ministry, the Lord revealed deep truth to this woman who sought to dwell in the presence of God. my prayer is that as i experience depravity, brokenness, sorrow, lack, grief or any other form of pain, that God would reveal himself as the remedy to those situations. likewise, as i experience grace, love, comfort, joy, or hope, my prayer is that God reveals to me that He is the source of those gifts.
but the deepest part of my heart is pleading with the Lord to show me how he has already been that remedy. in his grace, he has already satisfied and quenched those hurts. if i can get to that place, where i can see a redeeming God holding me and carrying me through pain, through hurt, through brokenness and sorrow – even before i’m out the other side – how much more content will i be resting in his hands!
through her experiences, mother theresa has wisdom that has blessed me and helped me as i serve the Lord where i am. they all align with scripture, but i relate well to narrative and the truth that comes through experience. here is some of that wisdom revealed to her by her Father…our great God and Savior!
“i have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
“like Jesus, i belong to this world. not for myself, but for others.”
“what you spend your life building, someone could destroy overnight. build it anyway.”
“it is a kingly act to assist the fallen.”
“if we want to really love, we must learn how to forgive.”
“God didn’t call us to be successful, he called us to be faithful.”
“Words that don’t give the light of Christ increase the darkness.”
“Do not wait for leaders. Do it alone, person to person.”
“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today, so let us begin.”
“Spread love everywhere you go. First, in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to your next door neighbor…let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s love and kindness; in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, and even in your greeting.”
