Suffering

"Don't see me and my suffering and just walk past me....." - Dani Evans

Such a raw,  profound statement, especially in this day and age.  And one I feel and understand!  I've been in my suffering.  People who knew me saw me, and walked right on by....

I had a conversation with a friend today,  they told me I was just about the only person they communicated with on a daily basis.  Unfortunately, for them, I am a BAD texter.  I lose my phone, miss text messages or just forget to respond!  Sometimes I am just too tired to look at my phone!   We talked about the lack of connection in this world we live in.  The way we treat each other as human beings.  The lack of respect for the position of being human. The lack of caring, for anything!  But why?  

What has changed?  I said to my friend, I am just exhausted- all the time.  I don't follow through.  I also don't seem to have enough time in my day! 

But why?  Honestly, we don't work harder than the generations before us. Most of us don't have to grow our own food like our ancestors, grandparents or parents.  They were sun up til sun down- but they still had the energy, time and compassion to connect with those around them. Were they perfect?  No.  Were they engaged in their world, community and family?  Yes, in one way or another.  So what's changed? 

That is a question we all have to ask ourselves, and our heavenly father. I can't answer that for anyone else but me.  I do know that we owe it to the generations behind us to figure it out. Maybe it really is time to disconnect and get back to basics.  It's hard to connect with those around us, or the one who created us when we have a constant connection to nothing/the emptiness in the palm of our hand.  We have to remember who we are, whose we are and what we are here for, then act accordingly.  A pastor we used to have would always say, if I have one finger pointing at you, I have four pointing back at me.  And that is so true!  So let us remember why we are here, and figure out a way to be the person/friend/family member we were created to be! 

Matthew 25:31-46

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.  Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [35] For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see  a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’  And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’  Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’  Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’  Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”