“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat…We must find each other.” ~Mother Teresa
Our society in general, I think, tends to enjoy anonymity. We like to get out and be social, but we don't like to let our "real" selves out into the open. With our co-workers, neighbors, at church, and often even in our own families, we paste on a smile and pretend everything is ok. Though we do care, we often just don't want to get mired down in the muck of other people's lives, and we sure don't want them involved in the muck and mire of our own lives. It's inconvenient, awkward, painful, and sometimes downright icky.
But sometimes the muck and mire get too deep, possibly because of a situation slowly spiraling out of control, or maybe due to a sudden tragedy--and eventually we are stuck in that quagmire. There is no way out of it without help and love and friendship. Yes, God is with us always, but sometimes we need a tangible shoulder to lean on or neck to hug, and God can love on us through the care of others; in fact, I believe that's one of God's favorite ways to show his love. However, if we've isolated and insulated ourselves from others, there are fewer people in position to help when we're in that muck.
We need other people, especially fellow Christians, for encouragement, too. There is a new Casting Crowns song that says, "people never crumble in a day... it's a slow fade..." No one suddenly decides that today is the day they'll turn away from God or fall into great sin. It's a slow process, and it can be halted by meaningful, honest relationships in our lives. We have an obligation to help others prevent that slow fade, and I believe we also have an obligation to seek solid relationships to help prevent ourselves from crumbling, too.
"Watch out, brothers, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin's deception." Hebrews 3:12-13
Recently, I heard a man speak about his experience in a very poor third-world country. 
Before he left to return home, he and the others with him told the people that they were praying for them because of their great poverty. The people, in turn, told him, "We are praying for you because of your great wealth." Those "poor" people knew Christ in an intimate way because they had to depend on him for every thing, including whether or not they would eat that day or the next. But they knew that we, in our abundance, don't "need" to cling so tightly to Christ. When things are going okay, we tend to keep God at arm's length, and we do the same thing with the people in our lives. Let's stop that! As Mother Teresa said, "We must find each other."
Before he left to return home, he and the others with him told the people that they were praying for them because of their great poverty. The people, in turn, told him, "We are praying for you because of your great wealth." Those "poor" people knew Christ in an intimate way because they had to depend on him for every thing, including whether or not they would eat that day or the next. But they knew that we, in our abundance, don't "need" to cling so tightly to Christ. When things are going okay, we tend to keep God at arm's length, and we do the same thing with the people in our lives. Let's stop that! As Mother Teresa said, "We must find each other." May we to cling to the cross every day, and to open our arms every day to the people God puts in our lives. May we be willing and available to step into the muck and help each other climb out of it, into our arms, and wrapped in Christ's love.
For more "In Other Words" today, visit Amy at In Pursuit of Proverbs 31.
For more "In Other Words" today, visit Amy at In Pursuit of Proverbs 31.
