Suffering in Silence

     Disclaimer: This post is not written by me or any of the muses, but by a guy, named Kenny, who goes to our church. I've had the privilege of seeing him come to Christ and watching his whole life change as a result. So I know that these aren't just words that he flippantly wrote, but something that he's been seriously struggling with. I pray that you struggle with some of these things while you read as well.

      A girl in the corner with scars on her wrists. A young man with a handgun contemplating whether to live or die because he things nobody cares about him. A mother who is struggling with guilt after an abortion. A father who has just lost his children to a gunman in a merciless murder.

     Suffering. It is part of the human experience, and we read of it and it breaks our heart... supposedly. But let me ask, does it really break your heart? Does it effect you enough to make you do something about it? - I would contest that most of the time that it does not. In fact, we almost do the exact opposite. We choose to walk away. It's almost disgustion to think about, but we do it all the time. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of being part of the problem and not the solution. It is our responsibility as believers to stand for what is correct. That means doing the right thing.

     We care FAR too much about ourselves, and that is part of this problem of apathy towards the suffering of others. We care about what we look like, talk like, and if the "right" crowd accepts us. Let me ask this then... Did Jesus do that? I mean, if you claim to be a Christian, does the fact that you do the opposite of what Christ did, make what you do right? I would say not. The first step is realizing your life is going the wrong direction, but many of us stay at this point in the process and never leave. That is the point of this. One example, is of what we say. James 3 says that we are to watch what we say with extreme care (go figure), but we live in a society with a free speech disease that cries, "I can say what I want and not do any damage to others". This is an extreme lie.

     Let me be honest with you. I've said some really stupid things in my life, and I've learned more that most of the time it is better to just shut your mouth before you end up hurting people. I struggle with my mouth, just like anybody does, but I'm willing to change if it means that I can be a positive influence for those who need Jesus. If I represent Christ, then what I say around my friends, family, and total strangers represents Jesus. Even if it's not cool to do so. It's such a difficult battle, because so many people think it's ok to slander other people. It's not. It is the direct cause of people commiting suicide. Don't believe me? At my high school, my Junior year, a Sophmore (who I never had the opportunity to meet with) took his life. It was later revealed that people had been verbally treating him like Dirt and to this day I regret not having known him, mostly because I knew I could have done the right thing and been his friend.

The point is this. There are people suffering out there.
So be legit.

     Don't be some loser who believes that he or she can get away with being mediocre, because this is a huge lie. You will live your life seeking for things that don't matter and be an embaressment to the grace that is supposed to be changing your life.

Just ask yourself.
Is what I say and do in real life, what I claim to be online?

Am I a Christian in not just word, but in deed?

Difficult questions indeed. I have a long way to go, but I hope to be an encouragement to those trying to be better. Let Christ change your life, and find scripture that helps you do so. You won't regret it.