This week we will be discussing the support we seek from others and the success and failure of that experience. We will first look at the book of Job in the Old Testament,a man who lost more than most of us can imagine. How did his friends respond? What did they do well? (There are somethings they did well - :) ) Comforting others in times of need is challenging. What to say, what not to say, when to come, when to go, what is truly needed? A band-aid over a gun shot wound will not help and provides no support. Telling someone to "go in peace, be warmed and be filled, and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?" (2 James 16) Some emotional wounds need more than a pat on the back.
Real support will take time, energy, resources, and did I mention time?
I am reminded of a commercial a few years back. Some medieval lords and a king are sitting around a table. A thundering noise, maybe the sound of monstrous dragon?, is approaching. One knight shouts out that he has a solution. Get out the catapult and load it with bags of gold bars, etc and hurl it at the approaching beast. "Throw money at the problem?!?!?!?!" Hilarious commercial. Often we want to get a quick fix for some really big stuff. We want to send a card, write a check, take a casserole, and BE DONE. I am not diminishing the need for cards, casseroles and checks. The work of the kingdom is done at times through these means. What I want us to talk about is what real support looks like. The visit that comes with the casserole, the prayers that bathe the cards you send,.....
Real support will take time, energy, resources, and did I mention time?
See you tomorrow!
