Look, Listen, and Love

“When we love,

we always strive to become better than we are.

When we strive to become better than we are,

everything around us becomes better too.”

~ Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Last summer, I read Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist.

An "alchemist" is someone who transforms things for the better.

"Alchemy" is the seemingly magical process of transformation.

When something ordinary changes form and becomes something extraordinary.

This reminded me of Paul's Letter to the Romans when he said we are to

"be transformed by the renewing of our minds."

This verse has resonated with me for decades.

I've spent a lot of time with that passage in thought and prayer.

I have also spent time meditating on Richard Rohr's statement:

"Transformed people transform people."

Such powerful wisdom is packed in those four words.

Our job is not to change people.

Our job is to be changed.

Because changed people change people.

It is not so important what we say or what we are doing.

What has the most profound effect on people is that we are being.

For this reason, I believe we should be looking, we should be listening, and we should be loving.

I think Jesus said it best

that we have just two commands: love God and love others.

And Paul closes the love chapter by saying,

"these three remain: faith, hope, and love,

but the greatest of these is love."

So may we seek moments to pause, breathe, and smile.

May we be attentive, present, and ready.

When we look our neighbors in the eyes, we give the gift of attention.

When we listen to our neighbors, we give the gift of silence and presence.

When we truly love our neighbors as ourselves,

we take part in this extraordinary alchemy of life.

When we look, listen, and love, we choose

to be the eyes, ears, and heart of the Great Alchemist.

We participate, appreciate, and celebrate this seemingly magical process.

Turning the ordinary into something extraordinary,

in ourselves and in others.

So this week, may we strive to become better than we are.

Not by doing anything, but rather by being changed.

And may we seek only to change others by looking, listening, and loving.

Because changed people change people.

Photo by Tom Rogerson on Unsplash