34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34
This week I received some tragic news from good friends of ours. This wife and mother of two teenage daughters lost her husband to a sudden and unexpected event. Until that tragedy they were a normal family doing normal stuff all families do. One moment they were planning future events and the next moment they were dealing with deep profound grief. I began reflecting on what our Lord commands us to do when tragedy strikes close by. Are we to turn and run in the opposite direction just to avoid the awkward situation of looking them in the eye and having nothing to say to them, or are we to try to wrap our arms around the grieving family and sit in the mire of their grief just as Job's friends did when Job lost everything, including his family.That morning my son and I did our devotions in the lower room of our home. The chapter I read came from the Gospel of John, chapter 13. I
How should we respond when devastating loss enters our world? The natural tendency of some is to become so ingrained in life's activities in order to try to drown out the sorrow of those around us. Some will try to convince themselves that the Church is meeting all of their needs and there is nothing more they need to do. Still others may decide to cut their friendships with the grieving family and gravitate toward others that make them feel good. Still other may try to numb their pain with alcohol until sleep settles in. What does Jesus say we should do?
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
When those you know who are effected by personal tragedy the answer is simple: show your love for them by helping them with the simple things that are no longer simple after their loss. Just as Job's friends sat with him in the aftermath of job losing his family and everything he owned we are commanded to do the same for those facing personal calamity.
When sudden loss enters our lives we lose the capacity to think clearly, do the daily tasks that were simple for us to do before the loss. Simple everyday decisions also become more difficult to make after our loss. We also tend to gravitate to the high starch, high trans fat comfort foods because it makes us feel good, at least on a temporary basis. If it is the father who passed away the family now must find a way to keep the lawn cut, the grass clippings raked up and this is in addition to the indoor tasks that need to get done. Roles change as more responsibility is placed on the children to help with those tasks. Teenage children may notice a drop in household income and may be forced to take jobs to help support the household.
The sudden death can be the shining moment for the body of Christ. While the family is grieving over the loss of their beloved family member this body can rally around them and help perform the chores the family needs to get done. Things like bringing meals over and staying and eating with them, taking the family out to a movie, renting a movie and staying and watching it with them, asking them if there is anything they would like you to pick up at the grocery store, calling them at different points to see if they are doing well, become face book friends with them and post encouraging thoughts or bible verses that will encourage them. These are just some of the things you can do to encourage them. To most of us looking inward this is a momentary pause before hopping back on the expressway called life, but to a grieving family recovering from the pain of this loss is part of a journey that may take several years to recover. This family will recover sooner when the body of Christ decides to strap on their hiking boots, put on their backpacks and learn to walk with them on this journey no matter how long this journey takes.
The bible tells us that we need to be the hands and feet of Jesus. You become God's instrument to help a grieving family heal. I have a feeling that when God sees this from the heavens he can smell the sweet aroma of fellowship flowing upward to the heavens!
This week I received some tragic news from good friends of ours. This wife and mother of two teenage daughters lost her husband to a sudden and unexpected event. Until that tragedy they were a normal family doing normal stuff all families do. One moment they were planning future events and the next moment they were dealing with deep profound grief. I began reflecting on what our Lord commands us to do when tragedy strikes close by. Are we to turn and run in the opposite direction just to avoid the awkward situation of looking them in the eye and having nothing to say to them, or are we to try to wrap our arms around the grieving family and sit in the mire of their grief just as Job's friends did when Job lost everything, including his family.That morning my son and I did our devotions in the lower room of our home. The chapter I read came from the Gospel of John, chapter 13. I
How should we respond when devastating loss enters our world? The natural tendency of some is to become so ingrained in life's activities in order to try to drown out the sorrow of those around us. Some will try to convince themselves that the Church is meeting all of their needs and there is nothing more they need to do. Still others may decide to cut their friendships with the grieving family and gravitate toward others that make them feel good. Still other may try to numb their pain with alcohol until sleep settles in. What does Jesus say we should do?
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
When those you know who are effected by personal tragedy the answer is simple: show your love for them by helping them with the simple things that are no longer simple after their loss. Just as Job's friends sat with him in the aftermath of job losing his family and everything he owned we are commanded to do the same for those facing personal calamity.
When sudden loss enters our lives we lose the capacity to think clearly, do the daily tasks that were simple for us to do before the loss. Simple everyday decisions also become more difficult to make after our loss. We also tend to gravitate to the high starch, high trans fat comfort foods because it makes us feel good, at least on a temporary basis. If it is the father who passed away the family now must find a way to keep the lawn cut, the grass clippings raked up and this is in addition to the indoor tasks that need to get done. Roles change as more responsibility is placed on the children to help with those tasks. Teenage children may notice a drop in household income and may be forced to take jobs to help support the household.
The sudden death can be the shining moment for the body of Christ. While the family is grieving over the loss of their beloved family member this body can rally around them and help perform the chores the family needs to get done. Things like bringing meals over and staying and eating with them, taking the family out to a movie, renting a movie and staying and watching it with them, asking them if there is anything they would like you to pick up at the grocery store, calling them at different points to see if they are doing well, become face book friends with them and post encouraging thoughts or bible verses that will encourage them. These are just some of the things you can do to encourage them. To most of us looking inward this is a momentary pause before hopping back on the expressway called life, but to a grieving family recovering from the pain of this loss is part of a journey that may take several years to recover. This family will recover sooner when the body of Christ decides to strap on their hiking boots, put on their backpacks and learn to walk with them on this journey no matter how long this journey takes.
The bible tells us that we need to be the hands and feet of Jesus. You become God's instrument to help a grieving family heal. I have a feeling that when God sees this from the heavens he can smell the sweet aroma of fellowship flowing upward to the heavens!
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