And this is why it is a good idea to always be kind. I was just thinking about losing my Grandmother and my Aunt one week apart, 11 years ago. The pain this brought my family can only be compared to losing my cousin, Lynn, and losing Nolan. You feel helpless! I remember going to my Aunt Brenda’s funeral and I felt like I couldn’t take the steps necessary to get inside the church and be there with the rest of my family. I told my husband, Billy, on the way there “how am I suppose to even walk in the door”? “I cannot do this”. I felt the same way when Nolan passed away…I did not know how I would put one foot in front of the other to go say goodbye to him.
Pastor Bill, preached a message Sunday on encouraging one another and how important it is. His sermon made me think of the many people I know facing the hardest times of their lives. Not only is our country in a mess with everything going on, but many people I know have lost their loved ones in the last year. I think a lot of times we do not think about what the people we encounter everyday are facing. In the time we live in, encouraging others is more important than ever.
I think a lot about one of my clients, who in the last year has lost her brother (her only sibling) and her mom and dad. I cannot imagine the pain she feels. On the outside, she looks like she is doing ok. If you saw her out and about you wouldn’t think she is in a massive amount of pain. That is the thing, you cannot look at someone most of the time and know what they are feeling.
She gets up everyday and goes to work and does what she has to do, just like we all do, but it has to be hard for her to even get out of the bed. That is why it is so important for us as Christians to always be kind. Someone could be on the verge of tears and your kind words make their day. It takes zero extra effort to say something nice and make someone’s day.
I think about Zach Williams song. “Face to Face”. The words speak to me, give me comfort, make me know there is hope. “When we all see Jesus, no more sickness, no more madness, no more pain… when we all, when we all see Jesus face to face!
For me, I know I am running through those gates! I want to see Jesus! I want to see my sweet grandparents who have gone on, my aunt who loved me from the moment I was born, and Nolan…his smile lit up my whole world. My daughter picked the cream of the crop. The hardest thing is seeing her without him.
So, when you see someone who you think has it all together, please stop and remember that is probably not the case. They could be walking through a nightmare. Something you could never fully grasp. Pray for them, and know they are thankful you do not know the pain they feel. They would not wish it on anyone.
Digging Deeper 