Galatians 6:2 (ESV)
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of
Christ.
Are the people around you happy, or are they struggling in
some area of life? Maybe the real question is: Are you attentive enough that
you would recognize the difference?
Let’s face it, we have pretty shallow relationships with
most of the people we cross paths with every day. Sure, we’ll nod at co-workers
in the hall and grunt a robotic “How’re you doing?” But our demeanor lets the
person know we’re busy and would prefer a generic, “Fine, thank you,” rather
than a genuine answer. It could be that someone near to us is having a rough go
of it, but we’d never notice because we’re too wrapped up in our own world.
It reminds me of a poem I read from the 1950s, called “Not
Waving, But Drowning.” It serves as a metaphor for people suffering alone in
their pain. The stanzas describe a dying man, thrashing about in the surf,
struggling to keep his head above water. But the people walking by on shore
simply nod with a smile and continue on, confusing the man’s frantic struggle
for survival with a friendly wave.
How many people do we run into each day who are fighting to
keep their head above water in life? Are we simply nodding with a smile when
what that person really needs is help carrying their burdens? Although we may
not be able to solve all their problems, a simple word of encouragement is
sometimes enough to lift the weight of the world off their shoulders. But to do
that we have to be tuned in to the lives of the people around us and God’s
leading. Be willing to stop, listen, and care.
Dear Lord, we ask that we would be sensitive to those
around us. Help us to see those in need and help them and not just wave. In the
Name of Jesus, Amen.
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