People are the most important thing.

Boxes everywhere.

Our home was being reduced to boxes. The plates that Ava would set on the table while I was making dinner. The blankets we would cuddle under in front of our fireplace. It was especially hard to pack up the girls toys. They didn't understand that they would see them again. That the packing was temporary. But I understood their sadness. We were saying goodbye to our home. The one we dreamed of. The one we were so excited to move into. The one we loved.

I stood in the empty dining room and cried. I was feeling very sad. The type of sad that is suffocating.

And the doorbell rang.

A friend. There to help. Groceries in hand, thinking about the little things. Things like bubblegum shampoo and fruit roll ups for the girls. Luxuries that we had to pass on in the recent months.

A small gesture. A profound gift.

I thought of how my friend reflects Jesus—of how Jesus made people more important than His to-do list.  The faces that made him pause.

The woman at the well.
Zacchaeus.
The woman with the issue of blood.
His disciples.
Mary at His feet.

Stopping by to take fresh flowers to a friend who is hurting.
Making a meal for a new mom.
Noticing that the smile is missing from someone across the room, and offering a hug. A real hug.

All of life’s busyness can be overwhelming, but it's so important to make time for people. To pause long enough to notice. People just want to know someone cares. I just needed someone to care.

People are the most important thing.

I think about today's to-do list. A long list. Each task important and necessary. Even more important, that I leave room for names. People are the most important thing.