It doesn’t take long sitting out there where life happens before you realize that the process of moving through this world can be painful. It rubs us raw. It’s hard enough to bleed when it is our own wound we are processing, but the commitment to community means we bleed when the wound is not our own. We’ll find ourselves crying when the pain is across the coffee cup. We read posts from the International Justice Mission and we feel anger over injuries that happen a world away. We read, we hear, we hurt.
Without that commitment to carry each other’s burdens, true community can never grow. In fact, I believe that commitment has to be in place even before the weepers have noticed our arms around them. It is a decision made in times of joy to stand with one another in times of pain.
Life is pretty good. Whether I am sitting on my back porch or skimming across the water on the lake, life looks pretty good from my spot. But I know the tears are coming, and it’s my duty and joy to help share them. I need to share them with the people I meet out in the community, or even the people I’ve never met and never will. I share them because by HIS stripes, I was healed. Healing comes through community.
I know this is not my usual post, and not my usual thought process. But this week I’ve realized that some of the pain in my heart isn’t even my own: it is the load I’m hoping to help carry in whatever small way I can. I don’t know if I’m always willing to pick up that load. And yet I know it is the very essence of the kingdom. Load carrying.
And so I am left asking this question:can I cry other people’s tears?
July 29th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
I find it really difficult to cry about things in my life. That processing bit takes so long, I guess.
Are you guys free Saturday night?
July 30th, 2008 at 12:19 am
marla — thanks so much for posting this. it is so easy to rejoice with others, but so hard to share their pain, especially when we cannot fully grasp it. how essential it is, however, to be the Body at all times. thanks for the reminder.
August 12th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Thank you for writing this. God’s grace extends to any and all who receive it. We are an extension of that in the way we offer faith, hope, and love with pure intentions. Like Chad said, we are the Body… that makes me think we all share the tears. We are one.