The minister introduced the young man to the Sunday school class. A lot of people knew who this fellow was although they didn’t know him well.
He was odd.
You know what I mean. Not a bad sort, but rather strange. In
high school the other kids avoided him and he never once had a date. As he grew into
adulthood, it never occurred to people that he was lonely and sad. Once, he
felt so bad that he tried to take his life.
The minister found out and persuaded him to come to the
Sunday school class. With his permission, the minister told the class of this
boy’s struggles.
“I thought we would make him a member of our group,” he
said.
Before the class dismissed each of the members hugged him
and told him how glad they were to have him in the class. Every week, he came
to get his hugs and to hear people say they were glad to see him.
I don’t know the end of his story. I don’t know how well
he’s doing these days.
But I know that he never picked up a gun and went on a
shooting spree.
Very powerful, Pastor. Anger is fear and fear is a powerful emotion. Fear can be paralyzing or can be manifested in unimaginable horror, as was perhaps the case in Newtown and other places where this scenario has played out to heartbreaking results.
ReplyDeleteIt is the rare community that has not been touched by the suicide of someone who fits the description you provided, and often it occurs while the machinery of day to day life scarcely skips a beat. We are all so consumed with our own lives, that we are all connected.
Jesus asked his disciplines to care for his lambs, but are we caring for each other? Are we our brother's keeper?
Debbie
oh dear.....It should say, " we are all so consumed with out own lives, we forget that we are all connected." What hurts one of us, hurts us all....
ReplyDeleteDebbie