When They Don't Care
For a period of 26 months of my life I had the pleasure and honor of working for
one of the best agencies in the world as it relates to 'rescue ministry'. I worked right in the heart of hell where oftentimes you could see disease, hunger, mal-nutrition and even death laying out in the street. I would at times take a break from my office work, classroom and counseling responsibilities to walk amidst a different reality unbeknown to me. The more I walked among the people the more I became familiar with that strange reality on 'skid-row'. I thought I would just see old beat up bums, winos, prostitutes(AKA strawberries), and dope dealers as well as dope users. I did see them but yet I saw so much more. I saw, spoke with and got to know some ex-professional ball players (foot ball, basket ball and base ball players), Lawyers, School Teacher, Real Estate Executive, Computer Operators and Technicians, Mothers with children just to name a few. As a part of getting to know them I made many efforts to reach out to them to let them know that even 'silver and gold had I none but such as I had I give....'. It became very difficult for me when I repeatedly realized that maybe they really didn't care about me or what I was trying to do for them. It became even more apparent to me that maybe they didn't even care about themselves. What was I to do when I discovered that they might not have even cared about life at all?
How do you care when they don't care? What do you do when you've reached out? until you can't or don't want to reach out any more? When I was going through so ruff times, especially during childhood as well as through the changes of life that every teen-ager must face, I cried out and no one heard my cry. Deep within my heart I craved for someone to be there and no one was. Perhaps like you, a key parental presence was missing from in my life. I learned a secret 'when I cried to the Lord and he heard my cry, he delivered me from every groan.....'. Why is it though that God will ordain men and women to reach out but those that need to be touched are not being reached? When do you say no to a person who needs you and you're either unable to reach them or you don't even care to give it a try? No matter how much they don't care you must. Even if you have to take a break from your efforts, don't wait too long you may loose a life (of another) if you do wait too long.
Take a little time from you busy day to give encouragement to someone whose lost
their way, if you see an old friend on the street remember the shoes he wears can
fit you feet, if you try a little kindness you'll see it comes so naturally.....reach out
and touch.....and keep reaching, keep reaching, keep reaching. Even when they
don't care you keep on carrying. 'The life you save (by reaching...) may be your own.
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Thursday, August 28th 2008 at 11:56PM
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