“…the creation itself
will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the
glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been
groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation,
but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we
wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this
hope we were saved.”-Romans 8:21-24
As I shared the video of the 5 year old boy who was pulled
out of the rubble from a Syrian airstrike, my heart was and is still broken. I
can only imagine the pain his family is feeling and the emotional scars that
child will hold on to forever. The look of confusion and fear speaks enough. We
cannot live in a world that allows a child to experience this pain in their life.
(Hard to watch: http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/17/world/syria-little-boy-airstrike-victim/index.html)
The crazy thing is, right now, many around the world are
watching the Olympic games. These games were established to celebrate athletes
from all over the world and bring countries together in competition and
celebrate humanity. I have been watching these very games, making funny
comments, and finding joy in the experience.
After seeing the images of the sorrow, I can’t bring myself
to watch the games right now. I most likely will go back to them, but I had to turn them off for this time. I know this is not a new tragedy in Syria, this happens almost every day, but it is
painful nonetheless. How can I strive for empathy if I can’t step away from
what brings me happiness for a little while?
This boy’s happiness was lost. The enemy will aim to use
this to steal his joy. The enemy will try to use this to steal the joy of
others. I will be praying against that.
We are also witnessing thousands of people losing their
livelihood due to flooding in West Virginia and Louisiana and a fire in
California that is causing people to evacuate their homes and lose their
businesses. A sight that is devastating and many who are going through this
pain, most likely, never thought it could happen to them.
The sad part is, other people will continue to post status
updates complaining about a bad Starbucks visit or a swimmer who lied, but
lives have been lost and people are struggling to survive, and we can’t get
past our own “issues” to empathize with others.
We distance ourselves from tragedies. We look at the photos
and say, “That is sad. Poor kid.” Yet, we don’t educate ourselves on the issues
or try to find ways to support organizations that are on the ground serving the
people in need.
We may not be able to physically help, or may not be
qualified to assist in medical care, but we can find ways to show we sincerely
empathize with the pain.
We may not understand why this hurt happens. We may not be
able to comprehend exactly what these people are experiencing.
However, we are all a part of the human race. Their pain
affects us as a whole. Their struggle is our struggle. If our hearts break, we
need to act.
You can turn away, but it does not mean the problem doesn’t
exist.
Our priorities need to shift. Lift up your head from your
phone and see the world around you. Seek ways to heal and help others to be
restored. Find ways to spread positivity to others. Speak lovingly. Give hope. Spread
peace. Share joy. Let your heart open to others.
May we recognize that the pain of the world is ours as well.
May we show others that we truly care. May we be present in the lives of those
who are hurting. May we experience a larger world than what we experience on a
well-lit screen.
Peace and blessings friends.
HERE ARE LISTINGS OF
ORGANIZATIONS HELPING IN SYRIA AND THE FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES:
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