Hurting People

Question, do you ever take the time to really listen to hurting people?  Now think of this, so many hurting people are just dying to be heard.  So many times, people who are hurting vent their frustrations in very harsh ways.  Maybe their problem is, in many cases, they can only find a frustrated audience that doesn’t really want to hear their side of the story.  They just want to argue because of some ulterior motive that they have.  It is very hard to find a good listener because, for the most part people are very bias, and it is very hard to listen to someone else when you are so eager to express your own opinion.  When all you can think about is what you want to interject into the conversation that is what your mind is focused on, then it is easy to hear only what you want to hear.

How many times have you talked to someone about something and then not long after talking to them you have another conversation with them and it kind of interfaces with the first conversation and the person says I don’t remember you saying anything about that?  How many times is there an argument over things that people think they hear because their mind is basically somewhat closed to the person that they are listening to, so they only get part of the conversation.  Big fights and arguments get started over such things as this.  Many times, things get blown out of proportion because of a misunderstanding of the facts.  Then accusations get thrown around and voices get louder and louder and then you have a real dilemma on your hands.  Instead of helping the situation you end up hindering all the progress you may have made.  

I have heard it said that a gentle answer turns away wrath.  Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  If we really cared about people, it seems like compassion, grace and mercy and love would be applied to the conversation, or situation, for whoever we are talking to.

God’s Word says we are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and our neighbor as ourselves; if this is true, who are our neighbors?  Please read Luke 10:25-37, “Now a certain Torah lawyer stood up to entrap Yeshua, saying, ‘Teacher, what should I do to gain eternal life?’ Then Yeshua said to him, ‘What has been written in the Torah? How do you read it?’ And he replied, ‘You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ Yeshua said to him, ‘You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.’ But wanting to vindicate himself, he said to Yeshua, ‘Then who is my neighbor?’ Yeshua replied, ‘A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was attacked by robbers, who stripped him and beat him. Then they left, abandoning him as half dead. And by chance, a kohen was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan who was traveling came upon him; and when he noticed the man, he felt compassion. He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then setting him on his own animal, he brought him to a lodge for travelers and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him. And whatever else you spend, upon my return I will repay you myself.’ Which of these three seems to you a neighbor to the one attacked by robbers?’ And he said, ‘The one who showed mercy to him.’ Then Yeshua said to him, ‘Go, and you do the same.’” 

It also says to love our enemies and to pray for them, if this is true, and it is, are we doing it?  Is this easy?  Maybe not, I have a struggle doing it but if it were impossible God wouldn’t have told us to do it.  I think this may be the reason we go through our own struggles, so that we can have more compassion with others that are going through different struggles themselves.

It says in 2 Corinthians 1:4, “He encourages us in every trouble, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any trouble, through the very encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God.”

Just something to think about.  I hope this has been a help and a blessing to you!!  May you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!