Have you read the headlines? Jennifer Aniston has a new haircut, Sarah Ferguson was left off the guest list for the royal wedding and Lindsay Lohan's back in court.
In light of what's going on around the globe I'd consider this news trivial. Why are they noteworthy? Did you read about the mother trapped amidst the rubble in Christchurch who left a touching message for her son, saying "I don't think I'm going to make it." Her arm crushed beneath the rubble, she kept calling out for help. She was rescued. Now, that's news. Good news in the midst of terrible tragedy.
I'm confused about what we see as being newsworthy. Why do we want to know about things like hair cuts, royal weddings and movie stars facing a judge? My guess is we need distraction--something safe, something that doesn't threaten our personal world. Life is complicated and sometimes difficult and actually stepping into the sorrows of others can feel overwhelming. I get that. But sometimes we've just got to wade in and feel other people's suffering and become involved.
One of the headings I read in the news accounts about what's happening in New Zealand stated that the work was no longer about saving lives but about body recovery. Body recovery. Can you imagine what it would feel like if one of those still missing was your loved one?
The people suffering in New Zealand, the Middle East, Africa--across our world are closer than we think, closer than we want. No matter where we live mankind is connected. We need to care about and for one another. Take a moment, stop what you're doing and care enough to imagine someone else's circumstances. We need to feel and to do what we can to help.
My niece married a man from New Zealand and he has family in Christchurch. I don't know these people, but they are living in the midst of tragedy. And I need to care. They're family. We are all family.
So, what can we do to help? Care. Pray. Offer assistance where we can. Connect with the human family across the world and in our own communities. Love one another.
One day it will be us who needs someone to care enough to reach out.
Grace and peace to you from God,
Bonnie
So true... I've been praying for them, because having lived in Southern California for many, many years, I literally know what it's like to experience an earthquake. So I've just been praying for them..and praying that they'll get the money they need to rebuild!!! Thanks for the good post ;) Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather ;)
ReplyDeleteSo good to hear from you, Heather. Thank you for your prayers. Sometimes I think we forget how powerful it is to talk to God.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Washington State and we had small earthquakes periodically, but we had one big one way back when I was thirteen. It was extremely scary, but funny at the same time. It was a 7 pt something, but short--less than a minute. I remember being in math class and one of the students said, "The cows are falling down." (we lived in a rural area). The next thing we heard a deep rumble and the school shook and rolled. One of the teachers really fell apart and ran down the hallway screaming. All the hallways in that school and other building were rippled after that. There was quite a bit of damage to buildings in the area and injuries, but no deaths. The experience stayed with me.
Keep praying. It feels like the earth is in labor -- what it produces only God knows.
Blessings.
I have been watching the news and praying for Christchurch. Such devastation and loss! But, as you mentioned, there are also heartwarming stories about how people have reached out and helped one another.
ReplyDeleteI saw coverage of a wedding on the news this morning. The bride had been trapped in an office building and they weren't sure they could get her out. A few short days later, she walked down the aisle on schedule -- but oh my, the emotion was palpable.
It made me think about new beginnings and how Christ has rescued us from the rubble of our sins and offered us a new life.
Thanks for the reminder to pray for the important things. :-)
Kav, thank you for writing in. And what a perfect analogy -- being lifted out of the rubble and saved by Christ. Plus I love the visual offered by the young couple's wedding -- Christ, the bridegroom reaching out for His bride.
ReplyDeleteMany blessings.