Friday, November 13, 2015

Observation #3- Broken people

I am in the people business.  

I work with people all day and I love it. 

People are my object of care and study.  I watch, I listen, I care, I cry.

The third observation I want to make is this- everyone I meet is broken, scared and hurting.  We live in a world of broken people trying to survive, trying to act like they are doing well.

The bully, the actor, the boss....all of them are broken, struggling, hurting, lonely, wounded.  I have not yet, in 65 years, met a person who isn't broken and struggling to find health and help.

Yesterday, I had lunch with a dear friend, who told me of an encounter with a new coworker.  The new employee took a verbal "shot" at him for no reason.  My friend still struggles with the comment.  Why do we let other broken people hurt us?  They are hurting just like we are.  Can we see them as God does?

Last week a friend of my sister said a terribly cruel thing to her in a text.  I don't think I've read a crueler comment in years.  You couldn't hurt a person more if you stabbed them in the back.  I'm sure that's what it feels like to my sister.  More broken people showing how broken they are.

So what's the point?  No one has it all together. No one is doing great, healthy, and happy....not all the time....we are broken, hurting little children in need of our parent.  We throw temper tantrums, strike out at others, say mean things....all because of our brokenness.

Broken people need a healer, a helper.  That's what God offers. That's why a relationship with him is so important.  Without him all our broken bits remain a mess and hurt others around us.  With him the healing begins.  Broken lives are restored and we become what God designed us to be.

When you encounter a broken person, and you will today, don't be surprised at what they might say or do.  That's how broken people act.  Give them grace, pray for them, forgive them and know that you, apart from Christ working in you, are broken as well.




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