I sometimes stay up late at night and think about the world in which I live. I think of the people I come in contact with, many of which have so many problems. Some of them are really messed up. At times, it makes me cry.
I don’t mean a few tears. I mean bawling like a baby. My heart just breaks!
How did life turn out this way, for so many people? Why did they have to make such stupid, bad choices, that have such terrible consequences; consequences that affect themselves, kids or families?
There are people I know, dropping out of school, becoming drug addicts, getting evicted from houses, shooting up, getting pregnant before finishing high school, getting diseases, quitting church, getting involved in prostitution, suffering physical abuse, trapped in pornography and going to prison for selling drugs.
All these things have happened to people I’ve known, people I had a chance to influence. Some of these things happened, to people I have met and they tell me these stories, of the mistakes they have made. Many are happening right now!
Then, I think about starving kids in foreign countries, where I do work, or people who get murdered, abused, raped. People whose loved ones die. I see Persecuted Christians on t.v. or little kids I know, who get cancer.
All the ugly things that happen, to people in the world. And so yeah, I start crying, and God is the only one who is up, seeing my heart break. At times, I think I hear Him telling me His heart is breaking too!!!
I am crying, for everything and everybody, even kids who are hungry or starving and there’s not a whole lot that I can do about it. I see how really messed up this world is. I cry out – “Why God?
“God…can’t You…do better than this?”
His answer was this. First, He reminded me that all those people I know, His love for them is infinitely greater than mine could ever be, so His heart is infinitely more broken than mine for them… Then, He reminded me that all those people I don’t even know, His love for them is that great as well. (How can He handle so much heartbreak…?)
Next, He gave us all a wonderful world to live in. Everything in this world that’s wonderful, every happy memory we’ve ever had…it’s all from Him. It’s all a gift from Him.
Not only that, but He gave us everything we need to know to keep our lives happy and everything we need to know so that after this life, we can live a perfect life with Him forever. It’s all right there (in the Bible). If only we’d read it, if only we’d listen…
If we ever doubted that anything He told us to do, or anything He told us to NOT do was in our best interest, if we ever thought that maybe He just wanted to waste our time or ruin our fun, He proved He loved us too much to ever do that to us. HE DIED FOR US. He is smarter than all of us put together. He has more love for us than all of us put together.
Everything He tells us to do is for our benefit, our peace, our joy, our fulfillment. Everything He tells us not to do will only bring us sorrow and pain. Yet, so many ignore His loving commands, choosing instead to follow their own ideas, the world’s ideas about what will make us happy… So many people doing that, each of us doing that sometimes, that’s what makes this world messed up. So God’s question back to me, back to everyone: “Can’t you…do better than this?”
“But I’m only one person. What can I do?”
That’s the question that we each need to ask ourselves.
Here’s what I can came up with. In a world of great darkness, I can be a small light when I reflect His light. Jesus said, I am the Light. When I feel discouraged, I can push forward, relying on Him, so that somehow, in my own unique way, I can bring God’s love to a world that so desperately needs it. I can’t reach everyone, but I can make a difference for some.
“To all the ones I’ve wanted to save from sorrow but couldn’t: I’m thinking of you tonight. I still love you, and I’m sorry. By trying to help, I have taken your burdens into my heart, and now a portion of them weighs on my shoulders, as well as your own, but I don’t regret trying…”
I will continue to help bear other people’s burdens! Yes, at times I get tired. I also often say – “Ministry is Messy.” Yet, I know that Christ told us to bear one another’s burdens.
At times, there’s a beautiful side to this, when you see someone come out of their addictions or a marriage saved, because you spent all of those hours counseling that person.
My friends, stay in the battle. Help others, that God brings into your life, who are needy and messed up. Help bear their burdens.
After all, aren’t we all Ragamuffins. A ragamuffin is a dirty, poorly clothed, kid
who lives on the street.
The gospel is spread by one ragamuffin telling another ragamuffin where to find bread – the Bread of Life.
Go be Jesus’ hands and feet to someone today! If you do, I guarantee you’ll have a blessed day! Be intentional about serving others.
My prayer
God, help me to bear someone’s burden today and to do it with a joyful attitude. Thank you Jesus, for bearing my burdens, on the Cross! I will love you now, and for all eternity, for doing this. Amen
signed,
Ken ( A Ragamuffin )
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