When We Are Hurting

My brother Todd is only two years younger than I am.  We had plenty of arguments while we were growing up; but he was my brother and I loved him.  I didn’t like to see him hurt. 

When we were growing up, we had a swing set in our backyard and it included a slide.  Oh, we all loved playing on the swing set.  A lot of our friends would come over and play with us in our back yard and we all played on swings and the slide. 

The slide was beginning to show its wear and tear.  The edge or border of the slide had separated from its surface. But we still used it. 

One afternoon Todd went down that slide.  He was barefoot just like all the rest of us were that day.  Somehow his baby toe got caught between the slide and its edge.  He lost the tip of his toe just above his toenail. 

He felt the cut but didn’t know how serious it was.  It was bleeding a good bit though, so he went in the house to show Mom.  That was when we found out what had happened. 

That was a scary day for all of us.  Todd ended up spending the night in the hospital.  Mom stayed with him.  Dad was at home with me and John.  When we got to the hospital to pick them up, Todd was still in pajamas.  They had wheeled him down in a wheelchair. 

We were both pretty young.  He was probably about eight – which meant I would have been about ten.   I thought he looked so little sitting in that wheelchair.  I was so concerned for him.  I didn’t want him to be hurting anymore.

We should be as concerned about our brothers and sisters in Christ as I was about my little brother.  We should do whatever we can to bring comfort to those around us who are hurting. We are members on of another.  When one hurts we all hurt or at least that is the way it should be.  

Think about it like this.  Let’s say we trip over something outside and fall.  Maybe we end up with skinned knees.  Our knees are sore and it hurts to walk.  When we walk around on skinned knees, all we can think about is how sore they are.  

Now think about your church family.  Who might be hurting?  Is there someone who finds it  very difficult to walk the Christian walk right now?  Do you hurt when they hurt or weep when they weep?  Do you think about them enough to go offer comfort and let them know you care? 

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  John 13:34-35

Christ above all things – Robin