Years ago when we were going through a very difficult time in our lives a good friend of ours came and helped when he didn’t have to. He had been a great source of spiritual help to our family before and we appreciated it very much. After this particular time, I told him I had no idea how we could ever repay him for his kindness, for this time and from the times prior. He said one thing to me “It’s reciprocal”.
I thought about those two words a lot over the years, both in terms of this friend and life in general. It’s one of those times when something someone says to you settles deep into your soul and leaves an indelible mark there. I told this friend last year that I had never forgotten what he said so long ago and how I thought about it a lot.
Last Sunday in church the pastor told us it was National Lighthouse Day. I never knew this was a thing, but why shouldn’t it be? We have National Day Of’s for every other thing in the world so why shouldn’t lighthouses have their own day of recognition?
He talked about how we should all serve as a lighthouse for others who need someone to be a shelter for them during their personal storms. As I sat in the back pew and listened to him speak my mind was taken back to those two words my friend had said to me……It’s reciprocal.
I rolled the pastor’s words and my friend’s words around in my head as I sat there. So many times over the years I felt like I was never the lighthouse, but instead the tiny battered ship lost in the turbulent storm in the dark sea, trying desperately to find safety upon the shore that I could not see.
I felt like I was always the one needing help navigating my way through my storms and never provided safe harbor for anyone who needed it themselves. Listening to the sermon made me see things from a little different perspective.
I realized that there were times over the years that I had indeed been a lighthouse for others who needed help finding their safe harbor. That safe harbor may not have been in the same form that people had provided to me but nonetheless, I had still been able to shine a light for others who really needed it.
I thought about the spiritual gifts test I took at church a long time ago and that my strongest spiritual gift was the gift of mercy. Someone who shows mercy is deeply compassionate and is drawn to those who are suffering. That describes me perfectly and people who are suffering seem to always find me. I’ve always said it’s like I have a flashing neon sign on my forehead that says “Come and tell me all your troubles”. Maybe that flashing neon sign isn’t really that at all, but instead the brightly shining beacon of a lighthouse throwing its light out to whoever needs help finding their way to the shore through the dark storm.
As I thought even more about all the things above, I realized that I was exactly who and what the Creator had made me to be…….someone who was both the battered ship and the lighthouse for those that needed someone to lead them out of their storm. I can be that lighthouse for those that need it because I’ve found my way to the shore by the lighthouses that helped me. It’s reciprocal……just like my good friend said to me so many years ago.