Comforted part 3
When you need it the most... that's when you need it the most. I know that seems to be common sense. Pretty obvious. But for some reason we don't seem to really be able to make that manifest. Sometimes it seems like it's easier to kick people when they're down, rather than reaching down to help them up. And to me, that's kind of tragic. Like if someone is flailing around, and they hit us... our immediate instinct is to hit back. An eye for an eye. Even though it's very probable that the person who hit us wasn't trying to. Didn't mean to. Was simply trying to survive, and we got caught in the crossfire. Collateral damage. Like if someone is crying out for help and we yell at them to be quiet. I think sometimes people kick and scream and yell in order to be heard. Because they think that's the only way to do it. Almost like a baby. Before a baby learns to talk, all it can do is cry. And some parents can get to the point where they're like, "Oh, that's his hungry cry." Or, "She's crying because she needs a diaper change." Even in the cry a loving, caring parent can tell what is needed. Now, having said all that, it's not ok to hit someone. Even on accident. Because you can hurt others in your effort to survive. A drug addict who steals from a loved one in order to get a fix... is still stealing. We can't condone or enable people to continue to hurt themselves or others. That's not what I'm saying at all. What I'm trying to say is: We need to have compassion for people no matter what... while still ACTUALLY helping them. Because excusing behavior, "That's just the way he is," is not ok. And enabling people is NOT helping them. Buying alcohol for an alcoholic is hurting and not helping. So we need to be able to use some wisdom when we're dealing with people. There are a lot of Bible verses, especially in the book of Psalms, about God comforting us. I like Psalm 119:50, "This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me." Because God's Word is Jesus. God's Word is love. Love comforts us and quickens us. Brings us to life. Gives us what we need... right when we need it the most. Because the straight truth of it is: Everybody needs love. Especially those who are hard to love. In fact, those that are hard to love probably need it the most. Because they are hard to love. So they aren't getting it anywhere else. Those people--and yes, they are probably hard to love because they are lashing out--those people are probably lashing out because they don't feel loved. See what a vicious cycle it is? "I don't feel loved, so I'm going to be mean because noobody loves me... but nobody loves me because I'm being mean because I don't feel loved." Those people need comfort. They need someone to stop telling them what's wrong with them and start telling them what's right with them. They need acceptance. They need to be brought into the circle, if I can say it that way. You need light most when it is darkest. You need strength most when you are weak. You need comfort most when you feel like you don't have it. So when you know you have it... don't be stingy with it. Give it away. Give what you've got. Do what you can do. Be who you really are and love the people that God puts in your path!