A Little Leave-Behind

Typically I am not the first person you would turn to for dating advice. For starters it’s been years since I’ve been “out there” so I would have no idea of what is hip. Additionally, even when I was out there I had no idea of what was hip. And lastly, I was never a good judge of whether someone liked me enough to remember me and call me again. I always needed a little help. This last part was agonizing.

Thankfully, I learned the ancient art of the “leave-behind.” Men and women have been doing this for years, decades – centuries probably. My Mother even confessed over Christmas that she used to do it in college. (Sorry about sharing your secret Mom.)

The Leave-Behind is of course the accidentally-on-purpose forgotten item left in my date’s car or apartment (we were there innocently listening to a new CD – what did you think we were doing?) to be retrieved later, to help me procure another date. The item – in college it was my new CD (for my Mom it was a handkerchief, how sweet); today it might be a cell phone or Blackberry. The item was only left once I decided this was a person I wanted to see again. In the event I did not, you can bet your bottom dollar I made a last minute bathroom dash to double check my handbag to ensure all contents were safely secured inside before departing.

If, after the requisite day or two Mr. Right had not called I then was free to call him for the very innocent reason of retrieving my Leave-Behind, errr, CD. (In my college days in the 80s it was still a bit iffy for the girl to call the guy). This always worked perfectly. It always led to an invitation to another date. And usually I let them keep the CD – a little something to keep me in their mind’s eye.

Then I added a new twist to the leave behind – the Leave-Before. Leaving a little memento (still generally a CD – sue me I’m a sucker for music) on a doorstep or car windshield. This was to procure a date with someone I had a crush on but who had not yet asked me out. That way the recipient had to call to say Thank-you then listen to the music, all the while with me stuck on their brain, helping me and my cause as it were. (I am a genius.)

Well, I would be a genius if any of this was my idea. But the Leave-Behind and the Leave-Before are not original to me (or my Mother) so I cannot take credit. No, the Leave-Behind/Before started geniously enough about 2,009 years ago when the Creator of it left His something behind not just for one person, like I did and most people do, but for everyone. (The Man was all about sharing.)

Jesus and His Holy Spirit is the original Leave-Behind. Prior to His crucifixion Jesus told His disciples that He would be going away, that He had to go away but that He would be leaving them with a Helper – that if He did not go away the Helper would not come. (John 16:5-7).

Jesus and His Holy Spirit is also the original Leave-Before. Jesus still had many things He wanted to say and teach but the disciples were not ready yet to learn them, so the Helper would be the one to guide them into the truth for the Helper was the Spirit of Truth. (John 16: 12-13).

Jesus told His disciples, and us, the Holy Spirit He was leaving in His place would live with us and in us. He would not leave us orphans. God is sending this Holy Spirit in Jesus’ place to teach us, guide us and remind us each and every day in all things and in all ways of the love of God. (John 14:14-21).

At the time the disciples were not really sure what Jesus was talking about. They surely would rather have Him than some unseen Holy Spirit “helper.” But by going and leaving behind His Holy Spirit to each of us Jesus gave much greater than He could have ever accomplished by staying here Himself. The Holy Spirit Jesus left for us is a gift to each and every believer. It is that still, small voice inside from God helping guide us and strengthen us and encourage us and love us every single minute of the day.

Jesus dwells in every person who accepts Christ as their Savior. That means there are millions of “Holy Spirit Jesus’” in the world, not just one. This time the parts are greater than the sum.

I’d call that the ultimate Leave-Behind.

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