I’m a thinker. I love to think. I love to learn. I love to stare off into space and ponder my life’s journey. By the time the sun sets, I’ve probably thought about all the good things, all the bad things, and everything in between in my life and in the world. It’s kind of ridiculous.
The other day I watched a man crawling on his knees across the street as I zoomed by on a taxi bus here in Jamaica on my “day off”. He had lost all ligament from the knee down in both of his legs. My glance, was all of one second. It was shorter than the time that it even took you to read this sentence. And that one moment sparked so many thoughts and ideas in my mind.
“Why did I see this one man struggling? Did anyone else see him? Does anyone else care? Do I even care myself? Will this just be a fleeting thought, or will I think of him now that he’s out of my sight? Why him? Why not me? What the heck? Where is God in all of this?”
I mean if we really take more than a second to dissect this, there was so much to see. This man was hobbling on the ground with cardboard tied to his knees as shoes. I didn’t know what happened to him, where he was going or even his name, and now I was thinking every thought under the sun. And maybe some of you all are doing the same thing now.
You know, I truly have no desire to paint the picture of a pity party, or another infomercial of the pain across the nations. I don’t desire this to be a moment of “Oh man they have it tough, or “now I must be thankful for the circumstances that I have”. I think we do that too often. Being thankful is an awesome thing yes. Of course, I encourage that! Be thankful for all of the small and big blessings that we have in our lives. Sometimes that’s a tough thing to see in the chaos of life. But this moment isn’t about us, it’s about this one man.
One man who looked like he was suffering and in pain. One man on this earth. One human being. One.
I mean I’m just one man as well. And you’re just one person too. So what makes us different? Or better yet, what makes us similar?
Sometimes, we put ourselves in our own bubble. This is my space, and this is your space. These are my problems, and those are your problems. My problems can’t be your problems, and your problems can’t be mine because that’s too messy. As long as our bubbles don’t cross paths we can each live in harmony and ignore eachothers problems. So we all have problems. Whether it’s paying the bills, a troubling relationship, a sick family member, not having enough time in the day, etc., we all have them.
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So what’s the BIG idea here? HUMAN SUFFERING.
Why does it happen? Should it be permissible? How can it happen? How can there be a God that permits suffering if he is so good? How can I stop it? How can I avoid it?
Human suffering can become this nonchalant kind of thing that we try to cover up. It’s like a huge wound on this earth that we try to quick-fix with a band-aid. We say “It is what it is” and that’s just the way the cookie crumbles for some people. Or we say “man, somebody should do something about that.”
So where’s the compassion? Where is the empathy? Where is the heartwreching moment that causes us to not only make a difference in another’s life, but actually go out in action to solve the problem?
I understand that we can’t solve all of the world’s problems. That makes perfect sense. We are only humans. But to just stand aside and watch moments seems like we have become a little disconnected. When we hear about all the terrible things going on in the world on a daily basis and just retreat into our individual bubbled worlds, that’s a problem.
We watch the news and hear the stories of people getting abused, murdered, caught in sexual scandals all over the world. And then you flip the channel, or close your eyes and go to bed. We all do it at some point in another.
It even happens in the church. You hear about a Pastor who is falling into divorce, or a family member who has just gotten cancer and we say a few encouraging words to the person and move on. Those are real issues. Real problems. Real things. And it makes me sad. I also know I can be one of these people that get desensitized to the pain of the world.
So that’s where I find myself today. Getting back my heart. To not make this a nonchalant thing. To ensure and remind myself that I didn’t go on an 11 month missionary trip to do good works or to feel better about my circumstances at home. I didn’t go out into the world to paint a pity party for people back in the States. I didn’t go out for the pure adventure and cool pictures. I didn’t go out to be a person who witness’s pain and suffering go to stand idly by.
I came to share the only thing that I know of that can move mountains in people’s lives. Which is Jesus Christ. To share the one and only thing that never falters or comes short. The one thing that brings healing and understanding. The one thing that allowed me to persevere when I was wondering how there could ever be a God when I was watching my family and friends suffer. Who brought healing when my cousins were shot in cold blood. Who brought wisdom and provision when my house caught on fire. Who brought restoration when my friend took his life. Who brings restoration when the world promotes division.
Today was a wild one. Pray for more wild days.
Some Scriptures:
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Philippians 1
Philippians 4:12-13 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, and abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from who every family in heaven and on earth is names, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith that you being rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
