I wonder – how recent was your last encounter with a person in tears? (For the sake of this example, let’s not count crying toddlers, reluctant students returning to school or fans reflecting on the last 20 years of UT football). I’m wondering how far back you would have to rewind until you come to someone who is sorrowful enough to cry. Really cry. Some of you may have met with a suffering friend within the last few hours. Others have been in conversation with a tearful family member or friend in the last day or so. I would be surprised if any of us – at least, any of us who live in relationship with others — have gone a full week without interacting with someone in grief. It could be profound, life-altering grief or it could be a long, grueling slog through the “Slough of Despond”. It could just be that regular, garden-variety melancholy that many people deal with — the common cold of the spirit. In any case, I’d propose that most of us live in fairly close proximity to someone in the midst of (or on the cusp of) deep sadness. You may share a home or cubicle with that person.
We all know that there is a kind of lopsided ministry philosophy that is fixated entirely on human need. You know the harm done by a man-centered gospel. Tenderness toward the hurting is not the single – or even principle – focus of ministry. Yet Christians are, at the most basic, loving people. Jesus said so.
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
To be Christ-centered is not to be oblivious to the sorrows of others. In fact, to follow Jesus will make us more acutely aware of needs around us.
In fact, I’d say that among the many important arguments for meaningful membership is the duty and privilege of shared burden-bearing. One of the commitments that we make to one another as Covenant Members is to provide “care for one another as members of one body in Christ”. Ours is not a vague intention to look after each other; it is a promise.
In next week’s note, I plan to speak more directly to ways that we can walk compassionately with the sorrowful, but that is not my emphasis in this note. My encouragement this week is simply this: notice. Notice those around you who are hurting. I’m quite sure that they are there. I just want to encourage you not to miss them. If it is true (and I suspect it is) that there is a 100% chance that we will bump into heavy-hearted friends in the next few days, don’t you want to be ready to care for them?
So, that’s it, friends. No more complicated than that. Just keep your eyes open. Ready your heart your see the difficulty of those around you (and begin praying that God will make you effective in caring for them).