The young lady would come to hear of His Mercy at the place called hope but the fear of reproach caused her to stay away. The sound bites she heard coming from inside the walls called "hope" frghtened her. She heard people say "That baby was born because of a sin". Or "She shouldn't have had that baby and she won't be able to take care of it". "That's what happens when you have sex out of wedlock. ". Talkers inside the place they called hope dashed hope with their arrows of well equipped words. Plenty of authoritative opinions, but no hands or heart to carry the message of the Hope giver who had indeed forgiven each of them of many things.
The I told you so's didn't help. Here she was with a baby she loved without the father to take care it in a place where she had no friends left. They all disappeared when the baby was born and she discovered most of her friends were there when life was fun and gone when it was hard.
But there was a friend that stayed close. She came and stayed nights and helped with the baby. She even helped with diapers and made sure she got the rest she needed. Then the unthinkable happened. The 17 year old father was tragically killed in a roadside accident. What was already difficult only got tougher The funeral, the condemning preacher pointing fingers of guilt and damnation. The loss of her fiance and father of their child suddenly separated forever. Crawling into the walls of her home with crushed hopes seemed her only alternative. But in the middle of it all was the friend who saw things differently Who wouldn't let her suffer alone A friend , who through other circumstances , knew the feeling of being judged wrongly by those inside the walls of the place called hope. Where others threw their righteous stones with cold and calculated accuracy, the friend saw differently In spite of criticism from the stone throwers she stayed persistant in being a friend Loving through the pain, seeking the joy, and pointing to a brighter future simply because her friend was a person of great worth and her new child precious in God's sight. Speaking from value , not judgement. The very foundation of God's love us. Value and relationship through his son. Saying in her deeds "I care and you and your baby are special to God".
And so the healing began. In a quiet walk with her new friend explaining how God desired a permanent relationship with her and her child. How moving forward on the promise of God's not man's was the place to find hope and help. She was interested in being the arms legs and feet to bring the message of hope . You see the friend saw the message was more than opinions and judgements. It was digging in and weeping and laughing through the pain. It was being there just because she was of great value. It wasn't easy and convenient. But her heart wouldn't let her friend struggle alone. She let herself feel the hurt and yet hold her grip with God and to be his hand to restore the broken hearted.
Jesus came to us in the desparate places we find ourselves in. He understood the pain of separation and held out hope for us in spite of our sin. He suffered and died for us. May we all view those around us in the light of that. Before we make a judgement let's look through the eyes of Christ. Let's apply His Word in the way that brings hope and healing not separation. Let's come out from the place called hope and be the hands and feet that deliver hope. That is the spirit of Christ. Our feet hands and hearts the agents of His abiding hope.
Peace to you.
Jeff Dyk
Feel free to pass this on. :).
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