Two of some of the most helpful words given in admonishment by a close friend when on the brink of gross insensitive foolishness: be careful. There's so much to say on the subject of pain and suffering, so barring the return of Christ, there will be more.
However, I'll start by saying that in these very hectic last two-and-a-half months, one of the crazy valuable lessons I've learned is that looks are deceiving. The fact that someone carries him or herself with an air of confidence and strength by no means is an indicator of whether or not they are actually confident and strong. Masks are (can be) easy. Discernment is hard.
I have spent the last hour reading articles and entries that have made me realize how unloving, tactless, selfish, and insensitive I am in so many areas to so many different people. I tend to assume that when I'm having a bad day, everyone else around me is in a place to be able to properly deal with my struggles. When I'm having a great day, I assume that everyone else is in a place to process my humor and casual off-handed remarks and the proper judgment to not take them seriously. How ignorant and foolish am I.
I BEG you, learn from my failures! Please ask Jesus to make you aware of struggles and brokenness of the people in your life. Tonight as I write this (I am posting this article at a later time) my mind has been significantly altered by conversations/blog posts that have driven home this reality: People hurt.
It is not uncommon to find men, women, boys, or girls that have had profoundly negative circumstances thrust upon them, forcing them to either turn their eyes in on themselves, or to lift their eyes to the cross and the greatness of God. Those that respond by turning their eyes upward apprehend life with a certain lucidity that I lack and find fantastically precious and immensely valuable.
But who am I to give advice to those who have walked through times of literal trauma and survived psychologically altering circumstances? I've been a kind of rebellious child, but for the most part I'm just your typical Bible Church-Christian College-Pastor's Kid-Choir Boy who's biggest struggle in life was making idols out of sports, music, and girls. That's it. However, I have the Holy Spirit, and that counts for something. I'm nothing, but He's everything. As I get older, I begin to feel the weighty onus in and on my spirit to point people to a bigger view of the majesty and love of Jesus; especially to those who are hurting.
For any who are reading this that have been negatively affected my callous attitude or inappropriate sayings/jokes in your times of pain and stress (or anytime for that matter), I am very sorry! PLEASE forgive and pray for me. I want the Spirit of God to transform my heart into one that overflows compassion for the broken and readily dispenses love for the weary.
If you walk away from this post getting nothing else, please get this: You never know what is going on in someone's heart or the things that they are dealing with. Ask God make you love well. Next time you say something sarcastic or hurtful as a joke, think twice before you let the words escape your mouth.
.DSN.
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