DON’T BE LIKE (PART 3)

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound.

Proverbs 25:20 (NLT)

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Spend any time ministering to others and you will learn one thing. There are a lot of hurting people in the world, many of which are suffering from a sense of loss whether from relationship breakups or death. It’s something we will all encounter in life at some time and it’s not an experience anyone wishes for.

Love has a way of doing that to us. When we love as we are expected to love, the same way that the Lord loves us, then we become deeply invested in others, connected and sometimes even rooted to where when we lose a person dear to us, it’s as if a part of ourselves has departed with them. Suffering loss can be a lonely time, there’s no doubt about it.

So how are we to care for the hurting?

We’re to show compassion and caring, taking time to be there for anyone in grief, lending an ear to hear or a shoulder to cry on if needed. God’s word puts it like this:

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15 (NRSV)

These simple words of Paul, words given to him by the Lord, show us that there is an appropriate time to rejoice and an appropriate time to weep when we deal with others and when it comes to those who are in dismay and grieving, we are to understand their situation and support them in working through it, even if it means we shed a tear with them.

Is there an inappropriate way to respond to those who are heartbroken and anguished?

As we look at the last of three proverbs directing us to refrain from certain types of behavior, we see Solomon sharing these words of wisdom:

Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound. Proverbs 25:20 (NLT)

Typically, the last thing a person with a heavy heart wants to hear is a cheerful song. It just doesn’t register in the midst of the sorrow and pain they are going through. This is what God’s word is getting at here and the analogies used are striking. For look at what singing cheerful songs to someone who has a heavy heart is compared to:

1. Like taking someone’s coat in cold weather.

There aren’t too many more (pardon the pun) cold things a person could do to another than to take their coat when the weather was frosty outside. It would be unthinkable unless someone was wicked and heartless. This is what a person who fails to have consideration for someone’s heavy heart is compared to, a heartless, evil coat thief. Yikes!

2. Like pouring vinegar in a wound.

If you know anything about vinegar, you know this: it has two basic components, acetic acid and water. You may also know that acetic acid is used as an antiseptic against harmful bacteria.

Why is this important?

Because we can’t think that Solomon’s reference here is to the wrong in pouring vinegar in a wound. That in no way hurts but helps.

The matter here to keep in mind is the matter of pain because although that vinegar poured on the wound might help, it also hurts like the dickens. If you have ever poured any antiseptic on an open wound, you know this and have experienced the associated pain.

Not showing the proper consideration for a person’s broken heart only brings them more pain than they are already under, just like dumping vinegar on that open wound. Only someone who was heartless and evil, like the one who would steal a person’s coat during cold weather, would ever consider doing this.

So the overall message for us today from the word of God is simply this:

Do not be like the one who shows no consideration for a person who is in the midst of despair and dejection.

Instead, love them with compassion and love and sympathy and empathy, just as the Lord does when we are in need of His tender care.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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