Sewn With Care

“Wasted away again in Margaritaville. Searchin’ for my lost shaker of salt…” My son looks at me while I’m driving and says, “Dad, how do you know the words to all those songs? That’s a country station.”

Uh…well…Um… I didn’t have an answer. Sometimes songs get burned into your mind. Just before he had the chance to switch the station, I heard these words: “It hurts my heart to see you cry, I know it’s dark, this part of life. Oh it finds us all, and we’re too small, to stop the rain. But when it rains, I will stand by you. Jason Sellers, one of the song’s writers, grew up singing gospel music with his family, and now Rascal Flatts is singing his song. Click here (I Won’t Let Go)

Sounds like a theme song for our current series on caring for the hurting. You see, caring is a verb, not learned… till lived. Mother Theresa said, “There should be less talk; a preaching point is not a meeting point. What do you do then? Take a broom and clean someone’s house. That says enough.”

While singing this past week at the Women’s Prison, out of the corner of my eye I saw my friend Nancy, a dear saint with the heart of Christ, walk to the front and just hold one of the incarcerated women for the longest time. I’m not sure any words were shared. I later found out that the woman had just lost her mother. People don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care.

Every day we walk amongst individuals desperately in need of a caring hand. Often times that person…is us. We drag ourselves into church on Sunday hoping for a solid anchor to hold our lives steady on tumultuous seas. God is that anchor, and yet we hope that someone recognizes our S.O.S. signal before we capsize.

Since the recent loss of my sister, and a week later hearing the doctor say, “You have diabetes,” I’ve thought, “God can you please wait till I get through one challenge before bringing another one?” I’m convinced though, that hurt and pain are powerful catalyst to build trust in our hearts. In a time of weakness I said to some friends two months ago, “I might unravel if things don’t work out.” And in one of the most powerful responses I’ve ever heard, a couple at church replied, “And Stefan, if you do, we’ll be here to sew you all back together again.” 

Hurt today? Unraveling? Turn it around. Maybe God’s calling you to write a card today. Send a note. Call a friend. Buy a dinner. Mow a yard. Listen… beyond the smiles and the tears.

Well, the song ends,” I will stand by you. I will help you through. When you’ve done all you can do, and you can’t cope, I will dry your eyes. I will fight your fight. I will hold you tight, and I won’t let go.” He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. ~Psalm 147:3