“The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but
leads us deeper into it” ― Henri J.M.
Nouwen
Do you ever get consumed by the hurting people around you?
There are days that zoom along and nothing seems to phase me. I'm
on top of the world, so to speak, as tasks get marked off the list, meetings go
super smooth and the sun seems like it is shining on us brighter than ever.
Then there are other days when nothing goes right. Things fall
apart. Hurtful talks might even happen. Everything seems to be
spiraling in a not so good direction. I am sure you have had both days.
I was hit with a conversation last night of a friend who
had a major health concern, and today they learned that they have cancer.
This week I have had some people walk in my office and tell me that their
relationships are decaying. A marriage is torn apart after more than 20
years together. A couple that is engaged to be marriage is hit hard with
problems of addiction and mental strain. Another marriage is crumbling.
Some of these didn't shock me but a couple hit hard.
Hurting people have my heart. Last weekend I picked
up a friend after his wife had kicked him out of the house. I was there
when he gathered his clothes and kissed his kids good bye. My heart was
being twisted as I watched on. This weeke that relationship has gotten
some better, but I have met some other people who didn't have food and some
others who are homeless and others who can't find work after months or even
years of searching.
There are some success stories. One friend, Harry,
moved back to town a little more than a week ago because an old employeer
called him back to work after several years of being laid off. I listened
to the story of a lady today who got a strange phone call. The voice on
the other end couldn't hardly prounce the lady's name right. Come to find
out calling her was a young teenage girl who she helped because she gave to an
organzation that supported troubled girls. The teen girl called to say
thank you for being kind and for her help.
Hurting people are all around us. Are our lives so
busy that we miss these people? Maybe they are walking down the street as
we drive by. Maybe they are standing in the checkout line at the grocery
store near us. Maybe they are our next door neighbor that just can't seem
to fight off depression. It is time that we care for hurting people.
Maybe all you have to give is a prayer. Then, stop
and pray for someone. Maybe you can pay for someone's groceries or pay
their electric bill so their lights won't be turned off. How about just
asking the old question "how are you doing?" and looking at the
person as you really care about their answer.
We are blessed. Not only did Jesus die for our sins,
but God has blessed us with life. Even in our most difficult of times, we
still have things and time and effort that we can give to help the hurting
people around us. Yet far too often we find ourselves as Christians
sequestered in the church, cut off from the world and singing our praise songs
and listening to sermons as the hurting people of our community walk on by us.
Our faith must be put into action. What do we do when we realize
people are hurting?
In the quote I began with, Henri Nouwen said that our
spiritual life doesn't push us away from the world but as we get closer to God
we become more and more committed to making a difference in the world around
us. Take a minute to ask God how you are doing in your spiritual life?
Do you really care for the hurting people around you?
If I speak with the tongues of men and
of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging
cymbal.
But whoever has the world's goods, and
sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him,
how does the love of God abide in him?
Owe nothing to anyone except
to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the
law.
Comments