Acts 20:37-38 And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more…


This past week, I discovered that I had been removed by four Facebook friends! FOUR! Okay, one of them I had never met, but the other three I knew personally. There was no inbox message explaining why I was being removed. They didn’t even say goodbye! Just poof! I’m off their list! One friend I did end up writing to and found out it had been a Facebook glitch, so I was re-added, but the others? I have no idea. I don’t even know if I should bother contacting them. I mean, I don’t want to force a reason from them and get hurt. So, for now, I’m leaving it alone.

When I read these verses about Paul, about how those he ministered with would sorrowing that “they should see his face no more”, it gave me pause. Would it be that way if I left those I serve with here in Hope? Would others be sorry they wouldn’t get to see me, or talk to me again? To be frank, I want to be missed! I want people to be distraught over my absence! Okay, I exaggerate. A little. But what if I’m not who I want to be? What if I’m the kind of person that people just tolerate in the spirit of Christian kindness? I sure hope it isn’t the latter! But, most people aren’t going to say, “I’m sorry, I avoid you because you’re irritating.”

This whole Facebook “friend removal” thing got me to thinking, do people feel better off without me in their lives? I was staring that reality in the face this week. In fact, I was nearly hyperventilating!  I want to serve and help others; I want only kind words to flow from my lips or keyboard. I want to be someone people would “sorrow” over if I moved away.

I have some dear friends and family that live far away. I know how hard it is to say goodbye to them, I know what it feels like to sorrow over someone’s moving away. But, do they…miss me? I don’t know. I’ve been grappling over it for a while and I’ve decided a couple of things.

#1. I cannot control what others’ think of me, I can only control me. I hope I’ve been living for others enough already that there are people who feel genuine love and friendship for me. Whether they feel like that now or not, I want to start today to do more for others, to think of others, to show others I care.

#2. If someone doesn’t like my personality, that’s sad, but I have to be me. Some personalities just don’t mesh with one another. It’s just a fact of life. I can’t be offended if someone prefers say, a quitter, less opinionated kind of person. Each of us has the right to choose our friends.

I want to work harder at loving, listening to and learning about those around me. I want them to see something different in me, something that points to Christ. And, I’ll be honest…I wanna be missed!