Today’s scripture: Matthew 27:32-44 (NRSV) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
When I was seven years old, my mother told me the young lady next door had cancer. Even though I realized she would probably die before long, I didn’t feel any empathy toward her. At that age, I didn’t seem to have the capacity to put myself in her shoes and see the magnitude of what it all meant. It seemed very foreign and distant to me.
A few months after I learned of her illness, she gave me some Rice Crispy treats she had made herself. They tasted good, of course, but didn’t make that big of an impression on me. Now, as I look back, I see her gift as a highlight of my young life. This lady bestowed a kindness on me — someone she hardly knew — in the shadow of her hopeless diagnosis. And, as I remember her now, I feel all of the compassion my childhood mind was oblivious to.
As I read of the humiliation, shame, and pain poured upon Jesus, I wonder if at times the account becomes too much like a cliché, losing its impact because we’ve heard it so many times. It also makes me think about how deeply we empathize when we hear about the massive floods in Pakistan, or the continuing plight of Haitians living in crowded tents more than six months after the earthquake. Am I numb to it all? Does it seem too distant and foreign to pierce through to the empathetic part of my heart? And what about suffering right here in my own neighborhood, city, and country? Often when I hear of someone who’s suffering, the Spirit stirs in me and says “This isn’t just ‘some person out there.’ It’s a life!”, a creation of God who’s just as real as a good friend or loved one.
At my church (LifeJourney Church), we’re extremely fortunate to have the Board of Deacons and people who provide prayer for the sick and suffering. We’re also blessed to have an active, vibrant Missions program that helps the unfortunate in far away places.
I thank God that Christ can touch each one of us, making us people of great empathy and compassion.
Thought for the day: Thank God each one of us can do something big to help the sick and suffering. We can pray! We might also be able to give financially. And some can travel to areas of need and help directly. Thank you, God that we never have to say, “There’s nothing I can do about it!”
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.