Lives Are at Stake

"It may not be me using my hands to do it, taking a life, taking possessions, but, words alone can do a lot. "

What's interesting is this, we are the biggest enemy to some of our closest friends and family members. That's a bold statement to begin with, I know, but, stay with me on this.

The people that are nearest and dearest to me have more access to me than my next door neighbour. In that, these individuals are more likely to be harmed by me than my neighbour, unless I were to go bang on their door randomly and then yank someone out to beat them out. Without cause, that's well out of my character, thus, rather unlikely.

However, my friends and family members who I speak to quite often, my colleagues, church brothers and sisters, just to widen the net, it's easier for me to bring harm to one of them. Unintentionally. The things I say, the things I do, that all plays a part in the impact I have on them. They are more likely to take it to heart than someone who annoys me when I am getting off a train and I call them an idiot. That individual may not realise I'm aiming that at them, and they may not take it personal. On the small chance they do take it to heart, then they too will be harmed in the same way those with more frequent access to me will be harmed.

If I am not careful, I can run people into their physical, mental, or spiritual graves. If I am not cautious with what I say, how I say it, what I do, how I do it, I will cause harm. As an individual who calls myself a child of God. As an individual who says I love God. As an individual who has expressed her faith by being baptised, publicly, if I am not careful, I will be breaking the commandments.

Thou shalt not kill.

Thou shalt not steal.

It may not be me using my hands to do it, taking a life, taking possessions, but, words alone can do a lot.

Lives are at stake.

Speaking with one of my friends last Wednesday, she shared that she became stoic because she was told 'never let them see you cry'. She is a young lady, lost her grandmother, and instead of being allowed to express the pain through her tears, she had to suck that in, to prove to people that she was 'strong'. How can we, in this day and age continue to measure strength by how many tears we allow to fall. Her ability to grieve her grandmother was stolen from her.

It's things like this which can really push individuals away from themselves. Imagine that being said to someone who was at that time very fragile, they would have then felt that no-one cares about them, and then chose to end their time on Earth. This person's life would have been taken from them because of what was said to them.

This is to my Christians now, this goes the same for the individuals we know who are having a hard time with their relationship with God. If we were to give them the cold shoulder when they came to us asking for help, or just in need of a listening ear, they would potentially not even want to consider visiting church when you extend that invite. Why? Simply because when they needed you, you turned them away. Why would they then want to go into a space with others who may be just like you, if you all say you worship God. They would rather protect themselves than expose themselves to others who are, just like you.

We need to be very cautious of how we are treating others and responding to them. No we cannot control how they are feeling, even when we do the right things, but we can act right. There is no reason we should be mistreating individuals. Just because the saying goes, hurt people hurt people, doesn't mean you hurt those who hurt you.

Forgive them, but don't run back to them for them to hurt you a second time.

Love them in praying for them.

Luke 6:28 (ESV) ^"bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you".

That's where I'll leave this post. Be cautious of what you say to others. Be cautious of how you treat others. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.