BACKYARD BATTLE
Sometimes, there are life and death dramas in your own backyard and you don't even know it. Yesterday, while I was in the backyard (actually, it was the side yard, but backyard sounds better) I came upon a clue to a drama that must have occurred during the last few days. What was the clue? Well, there was a clump of feathers on the grass. The clump contained a bunch of the downy, under- feathers, as well as three or four good sized tail feathers. Imagine! There was a veritable battle of Letete that was waged in the skies over our fair land, and I missed it!
Now, I envisage the battle as likely involving an eagle and perhaps a dove. Did anyone win? Did anyone suffer serious injury? Was it a heated battle, or a not-so-friendly warning? Were there children involved? Was someone's dinner on the line? I just don't know! All I know is that there was a conflict and someone got their feathers fricasseed. It's interesting. If it weren't for the wet grass and the light winds, it's quite possible that the evidence of this "fowl play" would have vanished without a trace, and no one would have been the wiser.
As I looked at the feathers, I realized that there's a lot going on around me of which I'm not aware. I suggest that the same is true in your backyard, as well! There are daily dramas happening everywhere! I'm not just talking about the animal variety, either! But our lives are so busy that we miss them. Even in the Church, we miss them. We live our lives. We tramp back and forth in the trench we've worn between point "A" and point "B", and the daily dramas generally stay lonely secrets. That is, unless the evidence of a battle finally makes it to the surface and we are alerted to the fact that something, indeed is going on in our own backyards.
For the past few months, things have been kind of crazy in our little church. Our church is full of love and fellowship. We are a close, friendly bunch who love the Lord and enjoy being together. But, even in a friendly church, dramas are ongoing that often don't see the light of day. Praise God this hasn't been the case lately! You see, we are a growing church, as well, and with new seekers, and new believers, and new family members come baggage and problems and battles.
Thing is, I'm not the brightest bulb in the package and often, a couple of hours on a Sunday morning isn't the forum best fit for people to open up and share their battles. So, for a long time, there were scares and wounds and pains that were hidden. Now, in a few of the cases, the battles became so obvious that we are now privy to the battle and, therefore, we are in a position to pray and love and give support. But, it saddens me that such pain was ongoing for a long time before anyone really clued into the drama.
I am so thankful that we now can share in the pain and the battle. We may not have all the answers. Let's face it: in life, there isn't always a perfect Brady Bunch solution, anyway. But the pain and the grief and the wounds can be lessened as they are shared in a caring, loving environment.
The Apostle Paul wrote: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. . . . Rejoice with those who
rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
(Rom 12:12-13,15).
Would I be too critical of the Church if I said that we aren't very good at mourning with those who mourn? I don't think so. The question is "why"?
Well, first I think those who mourn often mourn in private because they are too self-conscious to be open. Or they've been taught that grief and sadness and depression are equal to a lack of faith. This is certainly not true! Or, they don't know and trust their church family enough to be transparent and vulnerable. Perhaps, they're just so hurt in their situation that the idea of trusting anyone, even in the Church, just isn't an option!
Second, and the point I really want to get across is this: those who mourn are often left uncomforted because we are too busy to see the pain, or because entering into someone else's pain is an uncomfortable situation - a situation that brings it's own pain home to us. However, we are called to "mourn with those who mourn" If we can get this one command right, what a powerful instrument the Church can be for a world full of mourning.
Perhaps the thing we need to remember most of all, is that by mourning with those who mourn, we are called only to be there, to love and give support. We are not called to solve the problems, or to somehow end the mourning. These things aren't possible in most cases. We don't need to have all the answers. Nor do we have to have the right things to say. We just need to be there and share in our lives together. Anyone can do that, right? It's time that we begin to keep our eyes open to the battles that wage in our own backyards and provide a safe, soothing environment for healing. After all, aren't we all one in Christ? And don't birds of a feather flock together?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the comfort and support You give us! Thank You also that it is Your will that we don't share in our battles alone. Help us find a fellowship of people in which we can rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. And, Lord, help us to be aware of those who are mourning right now, those how are victims of the battle in our own backyards. Let us have the privilege of being Your arms of comfort and love! Amen.
