Lord, let me walk that lonely road with you,
under the weight of the wood.
Lord, let me walk this last mile in your shoes,
under the weight of the wood.
Freedom can be found, laden down,
under the weight of the wood.
~ Lord, Let Me Walk (Lenten Hymn)
Struggling. It is a part of every person’s life. We struggle to be born. For many, the process of birth can be quite arduous. We struggle to live. For many, there is never enough food, funding, or aid to live with any quality of life. We even struggle to die. For many, death only comes after a long, sometimes horrible, journey of illness.
As we struggle through life, there is one thing that most of us have in common: we look for help. We look for financial assistance in times when we have nothing to our name and cannot afford the rent or utilities. We look for medical assistance when we are confronted with illness and cannot pay the doctor or hospital bills. We look for a friendly face when we are alone, lonely, or depressed.
We look for help.
There is, sadly, another facet of our lives that is shared by many. When we are in need, we look for help, yes. However, when others are in need, we often look away.
There may be “a bum” approaching us on the sidewalk and when we see that person, we avert our eyes or change direction. There may be a lonely person in our neighborhood who has no family and friends and we do not take the initiative to visit or care for them. There may be a co-worker who is in dire need and we do nothing about his or her plight.
Turning a blind eye is not what the Lord would ask of us. The Lord does not want blind eyes. The Lord wants us to turn loving hearts to others, to open our hearts and come to their aid, to remember that we are called to walk this journey together.
Those of us who have had the privilege of walking with someone else in need will be able to recount what a wonderful experience it was. Yes, it may have involved some discomfort or sacrifice. But, to be able to say that we were at their side in their time of need is a feeling that cannot be described.
FAITH ACTION: Do you know someone who is struggling and has no one to help? Walk the road with them.