TRUTH in LOVE

A theme in my life is speaking TRUTH in LOVE with GRACE. Oh, boy. I am not a graceful person at all, and I'm working on it I promise..even though it really doesn't seem like I am sometimes. And I am not a confrontational person, so that truth part is pretty hard for me too. So basically, I have love down. Somewhat. Kind of. Depends on who I'm loving...lets just say I'm working on that one too. But guys, today my heart is broken. It's been broken for a week now, I just didn't realize how broken or what words to use to express that brokenness until this morning... I walked into my office to find out that an American woman truck driver was waiting in her truck for me to tell her what dock to back the trailer in to. An American woman, who is a Muslim. Immediately my guard went up because "how dare you CHOOSE this, with what has been going on in our country for the past 15 years?" And then this woman got out of her truck and stood at my desk, and y'all, it was so hard to not burst into tears. I had to turn away and shuffle some paperwork for a minute so I didn't look like a psycho.
I don't know what on earth it was about her, but oh man was I convicted. To love her. To speak truth to her. To be graceful. So I prayed over her (silently, I'm still working on this whole confrontation thing, remember) as I got her paperwork ready, as she signed it, as she walked out of my office probably for me to never see again. And I just can't get her out of my head.
I just can't say this enough:
 TRUTH LOVE GRACE.
I realize that in the world we live in, it is way easier said than done. I realize it could be dangerous, or just plain out of our comfort zone. I promise, that 5'2 introverted Ashley realizes that all too well. He never said it would be easy. He never said it would be safe, or fun or that people would be our friend because of it. He just said GO. He said to speak the TRUTH, He said to do it in LOVE, and He said to use GRACE while doing so.
I challenge you to prayer. Nothing else today, but prayer. Pray for people. Not just people who practice Islam. But also people who practice Christianity, and Hindus, and Athiests, people who believe they are gay, people who are straight..and every single person on this planet. Because every single one of us needs Jesus. We all have sin, whether everyone knows about it or no one but you and God. And then maybe in that prayer Jesus will challenge you to a bit more, and unless you want to have an ah ha moment at your desk, I suggest learning quickly what He's trying to tell you, and start going for it pretty quickly. ;)