Does Anybody Hear?

Take four and a half minutes to sit back and watch the video below.

Afterward, think about your feelings. How does this make you feel, after watching this? Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever known someone else who may have felt this way?

Maybe you know someone who is going through this kind of pain RIGHT NOW, but they don't show it on the outside. Maybe they are right there, in front of you, crying out for love. Only you can't hear them, because they are crying on the inside. And they are hiding the fact that they are hurting.

If someone tapped on your shoulder and said, "Please help me - I'm hurt" Or fell down on their knees in front of you and screamed, "PLEASE! IT HURTS!" would you pretend that you didn't hear, slowly turn your back and walk away? No, of course not.

But, most hurting people are not going to tell you that they are struggling and in pain. Not if they think that nobody really cares. You have to look past the mask they wear. Really make an effort.

Still, if you're too busy with your own problems... well, I guess nobody can blame you there. Right? I mean, a person can only do so much, one person can't fix the world - can they?

Well, now wait a minute. Do you recall the parable of the Good Samaritan? How everybody wanted to just walk past the man who was robbed, beaten and left for dead on the side of the road? Everyone, EXCEPT the Samaritan, that is.

The Samaritan was the only person who noticed the badly injured man, went right to his side, and took it upon himself to help this other person, who was far too hurt to help himself. He didn't care about how this inconvenienced him. He didn't care that this person was not one of his own kind. He took him, tended to his wounds, put him on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and looked after him. But it didn't end there. The next day, he gave the innkeeper two silver coins, telling the innkeeper, "Look after him, and when I get back, I will reimburse you for any extra expenses you may have."

Now, isn't that how Christ teaches us to love each other? How can the hurting man on the side of the road be much different than the person who is hurting on the inside?

Take a look around you. Do you see them now? Take a closer look...

Does Anybody Hear Her lyrics
Songwriters: Hall, John Mark;

She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying but the canyon's ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She's another two years older
And she's three more steps behind

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she's going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

She is yearning for shelter and affection
That she never found at home
She is searching for a hero to ride in
To ride in and save the day
And in walks her prince charming
And he knows just what to say
Momentary lapse of reason
And she gives herself away

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she's going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

If judgment looms under every steeple
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can't see past her scarlet letter
And we've never even met her

If judgment looms under every steeple
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can't see past her scarlet letter
And we've never even met her
Never even met her, never even met her

Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?
Or does anybody even know she's going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me

Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?
Does anybody even know she's going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?

He is running a hundred miles an hour
In the wrong direction

If We Are the Body

In reading through some blogs today, I came across one in particular that struck a chord with me. Someone has decided that in order to be an effective Christian and bring others to Christ, one must use the "tough love" approach, and quit worrying about hurting people's feelings and how you come across. One must approach a sinner, and not gloss over the biblical truth, but rather be firm and whack that sinner over the head with the nearest King James version. (OK, I made that last part up.)

Now, for the record, I have absolutely no problem sharing the Gospel. Christians are called to share the Gospel and make disciples of all nations. However...

There is an effective way to do it, and a not-so effective way to do it. Your chances of winning someone over to Christ are pretty slim if you are too busy condemning and persecuting them for their sins. Do you think you are doing them a bit of good by ramming that Bible down their throat?

Instead, think about Jesus. Think about how He must have made Matthew feel at very that moment when Matthew KNEW he wanted to follow Jesus. And all the other disciples. Jesus didn't act Pharisaical. He didn't need to.

Allow me to get personal for a minute. I am a divorced, single mother. Yes, I know divorce is a sin. And believe me, that is certainly by far NOT the only sin I am guilty of. And I am also aware that I am not the ONLY one who has ever sinned. We all have.

And yet, there have been times when I have come to church, that I have felt the heavy stares of judgment. More often than not, I have felt uncomfortable, like I don't fit in. I can't count the number of times where I have walked in alone, and walked out alone after service was over, and not one person said anything to me. Am I not supposed to be there? Am I wearing the wrong clothes? Or maybe it's because I didn't bring my bible with me? Or maybe because I do not have a husband to accompany me... was I supposed to have one of those? I don't know if it's all in my head. It could be. But the point is, I still FEEL that way.

Has anyone ever felt like an outcast in church? I know I am not alone. Maybe it's time for a change. Maybe it's time for one great, big group hug! Everybody - GROUP HUG!!

Now, didn't that make you feel better?



If We Are The Body lyrics
Songwriters: Hall, Mark;

It's crowded in a worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way? There is a way?

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tell him that his chances
Are better out on the road

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way?

But Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way?

If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?

And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way? As Jesus is the way

A Helping Hand and a Good Pair of Ears

I admit it - I've been "hiding out" since my lay off. I'm sure many of you are wondering what has been going on lately, since I have been absent from posting here, as well as commenting on other people's blogs.

Well, it's been challenging, to sum it up to one word. A little melancholic, I have been trying not to get sucked into a pity-party for one, and trying not to dump on my friends and family. I try to be outwardly positive with people I talk to, and if I write anything about myself on my blog, I don't like for it to be depressing.

A very sweet friend suggested that I should pour my feelings into my blog, regardless. Write about everything I am feeling, the highs and the lows, because it just might help someone else who is in the same situation. Very good advice. He's right. (Thanks, Kevin!)

I hate to admit it, but being laid off from a company that I've been with for eight years has felt very much like a divorce. It's affected me more than I was willing to admit. Financially, it has kicked the feet out from under me. Emotionally, it has temporarily left me dazed, and as silly as this sounds, wondering if there was in some way that I was partially at fault.

You know, when a person looses their job, they can easily get lost in a sea of self-doubt. Which can immobilize them from reaching out to others, and turning their situation around. A strong network of friends and loved ones is SO critical at this juncture in our lives. I am not the type of person who asks for help. If I didn't have any one who cared enough to check in on me, I'd be a goner.

Well, I am happy to report that I have recently been working. Still in the real estate world, however, on the escrow side. With all the foreclosures in the Phoenix area, we have been very busy. And keeping busy is just what I need right now. Consider me blessed!

If you know someone who has recently lost their job, please check in on them whenever you can. Keep in touch. It's a hard, lonely place to be in. You know, most often a "helping hand" is really just a good pair of ears.