Greetings
in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who said, "'Which
of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands
of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.'
Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'" - Luke 10:36-37
In his book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", Stephen
Covey tells of an unusual experience when he was sitting on a New York subway
one quiet Sunday morning when a man and his children got on his subway car.
The man sat down next to Covey and closed his eyes, while his children immediately
began yelling back and forth, throwing things, and even grabbing people's papers.
Although the children were being very disruptive, the father made no attempt
to control his kids. It appeared that he was oblivious to the situation. Covey
grew more irritated by the minute. Clearly everyone else on the subway felt
irritated, too. So Covey finally turned to the man and said, "Sir, your
children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn't control
them a little more?" The father lifted his gaze as he became conscious
to the situation, and he said, "Oh, you're right. I guess I should do something
about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour
ago. I don't know what to think, and I guess they don't know how to handle it
either."
Very often, people judge others too quickly without knowing what is going on
in their lives.
We have morning devotion in our office, every working day. It begins with us
singing songs, followed by a message for 20 to 30 minutes and lastly an intercessory
prayer. Whenever it is my turn to preach, I look at the faces of my office people
to see how they are feeling inside. I know that most people suppress their anger,
frustration, sorrow, pain and anxiety with a smile or a spirit of praise. But
deep inside they may be hurting.
Whenever the Lord shows someone who is hurting inside but is trying to mask
it, I try and reach out to that one person. I may leave a short note of encouragement
to that person later or call him/her in my room and pray.
In the 5000 plus prayer requests that I receive, I see some commonality in suffering.
The youth crying because they have no one to share their problems with, mothers
crying because they are lonely, and fathers anxious due to the various issues
confronting them like Goliaths. The unemployed, the sick, the youth in trouble,
the lady who is in the middle of the divorce case, the children abandoned or
abused… the dying, crying humanity. And those around them judge them or
treat them to make them feel worse - because they do not understand the inner
struggle.
When I was in the Army school in Jabalpur in 1962, one young soldier from a
nominal Christian family committed suicide. He had been depressed for a few
days and used to sit alone with a gloomy face. Every one left him alone thinking
that he would come around. But it did not happen. The news of his suicide hit
almost every one in that large army school like a thunderbolt. When I went to
Church the next week (That is the only time I went to church while in that station.)
the preacher asked, "Did any one of you show him a little love? If any
of you did, may be he would be alive today." Though I did not have an intimate
relationship with God at that time, that question pierced my heart.
I know that I cannot help every person who is in pain but I want to try to save
at least as many as I can. So I will preach messages of encouragement, joy,
hope and salvation in every way I can -through tracts, books, magazines, TV,
Christian movies and crusades.
May I encourage all my readers this month?
When you are discouraged, do not withdraw. Go to a person to whom you can share
your pain and pray. If you have a mentor (you must have one), go to him/her
and spend some time in prayer together.
Look at a person who is in a mental turmoil. Ask God to show you someone who
needs encouragement, every day. Share a Bible verse. Give a book, Pray together.
Let them not remain in that terrible situation or disappear forever.
Loving your neighbor starts with having compassion for them. Today in prayer
thank the Lord for the neighbors in your life at work and at home and ask the
Lord how you can love them.
"Man may dismiss com- passion from his heart, but God never will."
William Cowper
God's Word says: "He answered: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' and,
'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27
Will
you do that - love God and your neighbor?
