God’s love can be found in the kindness of strangers

The area of Chilliwack that we live in is called Fairfield Island. I had never heard of it before we moved, and I was surprised to discover that it is indeed actually an island. My son has kayaked around it, so we have proof. It kind of makes me feel exotic.

Fairfield Island was, until we moved here, a low-density area with plenty of farmland and larger lots. Recently, and to the chagrin of the people who live here, some zoning laws have changed, and the impact has come swiftly and nastily.

We quickly discovered that the residents take pride in the community of Fairfield. They are afraid of how 17 rental townhomes with no yards or parking spaces, squished into a lot that previously held one home, will possibly change the feel of the community. Regardless, the people strive to uphold their ideals.

There is a Facebook community page for Fairfield residents, and while it has its share of the usual gripes and cheek, they are the exception to the rule. I have been happily cheered to witness the kindness and generosity of neighbours.

I have seen offers of help to people needing a hand carrying a new couch in or offers to pick up something small from the grocery store for a single mom who doesn’t have the energy to load up her little ones on the bus for that one thing she forgot that morning. It has brought me some joy offering a few little strawberry plants to kids wanting to garden, and meeting people as they come to pick them up.

Back a week or so ago, during the heatwave, a man down the road made an offer that led to this column. He messaged out that he had a small above-ground pool in his yard, and families could contact him to schedule an hour to use it. I mentioned it, and the kids begged me to take the man up on it. I sent him a message, and he said we could come in an hour.

When we arrived, he happily pointed out where the pool was, offered me a chair or a hammock if I wanted to sit, and told the kids that they could use the trampoline or the playground. He would even turn a hose on to go down the slide. And then, with a smile, he went back into his house, and left us there to enjoy his generosity.

That hour meant a lot to the kids. They were able to cool off and just have some fun together. The man gave them something of himself, something of his home, and then asked for nothing in return. He simply went back into his house and gave us the freedom to receive his gift of self. There were no scoldings or reminders, he didn’t come out to check on everyone. His gift was free.

I made sure to make mention of this to the kids, so that they wouldn’t walk away, taking this gift for granted. This man, a stranger to us, welcomed and offered us something that he alone had to give. I told them that he was a witness to us of how every Christian is called to give of themselves to others, without concern for repayment or acknowledgement; that, in some ways, the offer of his yard and pool was maybe a small thing to him, not a big deal, but in truth it was a sign of God’s love, who gives and does not count the cost.

I was left thinking about the meaning of being a neighbour, of loving your neighbour. If this man’s offer and hospitality could make me feel the love of God, what could our own love and selfless offers of self do to change the world? If I, as a Christian, and in the name of Christ, were more willing to give what I have, more willing to smile and offer help, my time, a meal, a prayer, without expecting a return, would others also feel the love of God when we all so desperately need to?

I guess it is a paradox. The love of God cannot be simplified. It cannot be reduced to matters of feel-good humanitarianism. We cannot define it by our own ideas and standards of “love” and sentiment. God’s love is beyond our understanding. It is beyond our capacity to even receive properly.

But at the same time it is simple. His love for us is the free and a total gift of self, offered for our sakes, and not his own. God did not create us out of need, but out of a desire to share his perfect love, and to give joy in the knowledge of that love. And we are invited to share that with those strangers we meet in the heatwave of life.