Every Living Person Can Help the Hurting

"Help Wanted."    " Help Needed"

“…. as God’s chosen…holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”      Colossians 3:12


For forty years I have been working in the “pool of pain”: with and around God’s people who have been hurt, devastated, diagnosed, and afflicted by adverse and horrific circumstances, illnesses, losses, rejections and failures.

In most cases I have been present to them as a Pastor endeavoring to contribute something that might directly or indirectly support them. In most cases I tried to “walk with them” as they reeled and staggered, groped, fell down and got up again. It is not hard for me to admit to a profound feeling of helplessness and empty-handedness almost all the time, in nearly every instance.

One stunning discovery has come out of all this. In almost every case God has sooner or later lifted them back to their feet, propped them up, and got them going again. I attribute this remarkable fact to God’s healing presence. This Divine Care and Kindness can be anticipated and relied on by those hit by freight trains and bulldozers—God does restore even the most smashed.

Why this is so important is not only that it gives a strong encouragement to all who surround the crushed but it mandates something else: each of us in our heartfelt and heartbroken empathy and sympathy need not be overwhelmed by the thought that we have to find ways to make them better again. We must “walk with them” — but with a tremendous sigh of release (giving them to Jesus), we can trust God to put them back together. Jesus needs our help, but will take care of it in God’s time and in God’s way.

So, people are needed! They do not need to be skilled helpers or highly qualified caregivers. But they do need to “show up”. They do need to “walk along with” the injured and bereaved. And every last human being qualifies as a healer/helper in the challenge of helping JesusGod in the restoration and re-building process.