Life is not that simple

I was just reading a blog post from a guy I have been reading a little lately.  He was sharing how when he was little and throughout the rest of his life he related to this sad intro song that had a little dog all by himself just walking alone.  He went on to explain some of why he thinks he felt a connection with the little lonely dog when he first saw it when he was about 5 or 6.  He finished by writing that we ought to make sure we reach out to someone today, (especially little kids).  You see, he had some rough things happen when he was little and he had a really tough time communicating his words which added to the misery.  He felt, even as a little 5 year old boy, all alone.  We are so quick to judge that someone just needs to get over things that we avoid real issues that hurt people badly.  We present cookie-cutter concepts that attempt to fix all without really getting into the uncomfortable parts of relationships with people.  We are so quick to say "no one has an excuse, I had a rough upbringing and I still learned how to live responsibly."  Maybe the reason is that we never have really dealt with the hard issues and therefore don't have any really close relationships with anyone.  We just live a life of self-protection which inevitably leads to numbness.  

I'm not looking down my nose here either.  There are many many days that I avoid talking to some people because I know it might get uncomfortable, and I would just rather chill out in my numb little mood for the day.  But here's a wake up call.  Many of the people you and I avoid are hurting and need desperately for someone to care.  When we do this we at least for the moment bring to the forefront of their conscience what they no down deep, that God really does care about them too.  God works through people loving people.  Of course this hits another spot in my heart now that I have children.  Garrison is almost 2 and he will soon be a little 5 year old, and if I try I can imagine him sitting there watching a little lonely dog walk by himself and think that he is pretty much like him.  That's where it hurts.  People, especially little ones need to be loved uncomfortably.  Anyone that has ever really loved someone else knows that at times it just downright awkward to be there for someone.  Its awkward but it is needed.  God help us go love some people this week, especially little kids.

Ryan