Aunt K

My sister, K, is living with us this summer as she completes an internship for school, and my husband (her brother-in-law) has now also become her landlord and employer for these few months.

I love my sister. I admire her so much that I chose to give our firstborn daughter her name in hopes that God will bless E with some of the same gifts and strengths that he has given to Aunt K. She's truly one of the most incredible examples of the love of Christ I will ever know, a claim many others in this world who would be quick to echo.

K has caused me a lot of reflection this summer, as I am struck by the realization that she and I are nearly polar opposites in strengths, personalities, and aspirations. Undeniably, we are not only biological sisters but also spiritual sisters, and these truths are more than enough to bind us together in Christ. Let's just say I'm getting a much clearer picture of the kind of beautiful conflict Solomon referred to as "iron sharpening iron."

A conversation just the other night went like this:

K walks in the door, obviously hungry
Me- "Would you like our leftover grilled chicken, and I'll put a potato in the microwave for you while you shower?" (I'm feeling really good about my graciousness)

K- "Sure, that'd be great." (She showers)

Skip forward one hour, and I walk in the kitchen and discover a mess (I'm feeling less gracious)

I start to clean, banging pots loudly together to get K's attention (I'm feeling even less gracious)

I walk into K's room (my flesh takes over, no more graciousness) and ask if she will come clean too

K (obviously responding to my flesh), walks into the kitchen, picks up the pot.

K- "I don't understand why it would've been so hard for you to clean this one pot."

Record screeching...WHAT?!?!?!?

Me- (thankfully, only in my head) "Ok, so you live in my house, I offer you my food, I start to clean up your mess, ask for you to help with one small thing, and instead of thanks, I get that?!?!"

I think, probably because we were both consumed with our flesh, we finished the task in silence.

A few days later, when I look back at this moment, I'm still convicted that we were both living in our flesh. I wish I could have been more truly serving, instead of expecting some kind of return on my gift of dinner. I wish K could have been more thankful with her actions (though I'll bet my hypocrisy blocked her opportunity to show appreciation).

The real question is how often I have this same posture with my Creator. How many times do I receive a gift from him without even thanking him? Worse yet, how many times do I offer a gift to him with the expectation of some kind of return, as if He should be indebted to me? Thankfully, I serve a perfect God who both understands and resists the temptation of the flesh and yet is endlessly merciful when I choose to walk in my flesh instead of in his mercy. Oh, how He loves!