I see them everyday, the walking wounded:
- The teenage girl, forearms crisscrossed with self-inflicted scars, pleading for someone just to hear her cry for help.
- The middle aged man staring at the shotgun leaning against the wall, wondering if it holds the answer to his pain.
- The single mother doing her best to care for her brood, while longing for just a little love herself.
- The cashier in Walmart, struggling to keep a smile plastered on her face after a long, hard day.
They are all around us, the hurting, the lost, the weak and tired. Some days they are us, just trying to put one foot in front of the other, unable to look past this moment, starving for a kind word.
Sometimes it is overwhelming, the pain all around us and the pain in our own hearts. Where is “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding…” (Philippians 4:7)? Where is the God who said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5)?
The answer eludes us, yet it is right before our eyes.
Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you.” (Luke 6:38a).
The Secret
The secret to healing our own pain is to ease the pain of another. We get what we give. If you give love, you’ll receive love. Give hope and you’ll find hope. Ease another’s burden and you’ll find your own burden easier to bear. “For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (v. 38b).
Booker T. Washington said, “Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” In bringing joy to another we find real joy for ourselves. It is when we reach outside ourselves, to give love to another, that we touch the heart of God.
The Choice
This morning you have a choice. You can continue to wallow in your own misery and despair or you can open your eyes to the pain all around you and do something about it.
Someone needs you to be God’s hands and feet today, His love in action, His voice speaking to a troubled soul, His peace in the midst of chaos. Someone needs your arms to hold them close, your hands to lift them up, and your feet to walk beside them every step of the way. This Sabbath, will you answer the call?
Francis of Assisi said “For it is in giving that we receive.“ What will you give today?