When Love Shows Up
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a few moments and allow yourself to just be. Take a couple deep breaths, grab yourself a cup of coffee, light a candle, do something that brings you comfort. Allow yourself to be present in this moment.
There is a quiet kind of grace in allowing ourselves to be cared for—not because we have everything under control, but because we don’t—and in receiving love we never had to earn.
Grace isn’t something you earn. It’s something you receive, often when you least expect it.
— Brené Brown
Love is most present when it’s least convenient.
— Kate Bowler
Luke 5.17-20
One day while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem were sitting nearby, and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but, finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”
Food for Thought
In January, I had a car accident. It wasn’t life-threatening, but my car was totaled, and I needed surgery to repair my left wrist—my dominant hand, of course. I was on my way home from trivia night and made a left turn into traffic. I followed every precaution I knew: look left, look right, look left again… then go.
But in the distance, there was a single headlight. A car. The next moments were a blur—an ambulance ride, surgery, and twelve weeks of physical therapy.
At the time, my main concern was my dog. And apparently, I made that very clear. I told anyone who would listen, “Please make sure Felix is okay!” And someone did.
At the hospital, I called a friend. She came immediately. She helped me to the bathroom—no questions asked. She sat with me—no questions asked. She brought me home and tucked me into bed at 2 a.m.—still, no questions asked.
The next morning, another friend arrived. We made a list: phone calls, appointments, logistics—everything that had to be done. Someone else brought lunch. Another walked the dog. My workplace said, “We’ve got you.”
And for several weeks, someone always showed up. Friends stayed the night after surgery to make sure I was safe. They filled a pill organizer. Brought food. Called. Texted. Visited.
I’ve always considered myself independent. I do a pretty good job taking care of myself. But suddenly, I was cared for by a community I wasn’t sure would be there. I’ve lived in this neighborhood for years but had never really “needed” anything—until I did.
There are no words to fully express my gratitude for how my friends showed up. Whenever I needed something, someone simply said, “We’ll do this.”
I was supported by skilled, kind physical therapists who helped me trust my body again. I’ll always be grateful for their care, their patience, and their companionship on this path.
Last week, my doctor said, “You’re good.” I wasn’t so sure. A friend joked, “They’ve turned you out to walk!” And she was right. I thought of the man Jesus healed—the one who was lowered through the roof by his friends. And I wondered, what did he feel? I don’t need anyone anymore? I’m healed? But wait—I’m still scared and unsure. Will my community remain once the crisis has passed?
The answer I have found is: yes. The community remains. I am deeply humbled by the care I received—no questions asked—from the moment I made one phone call. Community sustains us in ways we often don’t know we’ll need… until we do.
Do I need to repay this? Probably not—not as a debt, anyway. That’s not how love works. But I can show up. I can visit a friend in the hospital. Offer a seat on my porch. Take the neighbor’s kids to the coffee shop for muffins. Be aware. Be available.
Because I was loved when I needed it most. And that’s what we all long for—to know we matter, and that we’re cared for, even in our most vulnerable moments.
Write a note of gratitude to someone who has shown up for you in a vulnerable time of your life. Think about the ways they showed up for you—whether it was through a simple act of kindness, a listening ear, or their constant presence when you needed them most. Try to be specific in your letter about the ways they helped and what it meant to you.
Practice showing up for others this week. Take a moment to think about the people in your life who may need support, care, or even just a little attention. Remember that showing up for others doesn’t always require big gestures—it can be as simple as offering a helping hand, a kind word, or being present in a moment of need.
For a printable version of today's reflection Click Here!
Blessing
God of Love and Attention,
Thank You for the care and love we receive from others. Open us to receiving help when we need it, and to offering kindness when others need us. Teach us to show up for one another, just as you show up for us.
Amen.
A little Table Talk for your table...
Have you ever experienced a time when a small act of kindness made a big difference in your healing or well-being? What was it?
What role does community play in your healing or growth? How can you be community for others in their times of need?
How can you trust that the care you give is meaningful, even if it doesn't always feel like it is a grand enough act or gesture?
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
Talk with your kiddo about how they feel when someone does something kind for them, like offering a gift, sharing a toy, or just sitting with them.
Discuss together what it is like to have to ask for help when you need it. Do they find that to be easy or hard? Why do they think that is?
Think together about why it is important to show kindness to others, especially when they are sad or hurt.
Meet This WEek’s Writer...
Khette Cox is an ordained minister who works as a chaplain in healthcare, and in her spare time is learning the piano, enjoys watching live music, and loves life with humor and a sense of the sacred. She lives in Old Hickory, TN where you will probably find her on her front porch with Felix, her Newfie mix, waving at her neighbors.
To hear more from Khette throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!