Barely Holding On

Throughout last month, and even through yesterday, I’ve been watching the calls for help from Christians I do not know. They broadcast their view of Jesus and the Church, and then seemingly, in the next breath, they share how they are trembling in their walk and about to falter.

What? Huh?

Right now, someone is blaming me for not caring. It’s not that I don’t care, but there are better avenues to get someone to walk alongside than a fake “caring” public that we cannot even possibly know.

Click “Like” and respond with a comment, and you’re voting for their success. Maybe we need a reality show to see who will rally from the massive support from strangers and give them a book deal to tell how they walked away from the brink.

I know we are dealing with a huge mental crisis. Some look for relief, but all they find is more misery. Drugs. Unable to hold a job, their family is torn apart. Homelessness. Finally, a tent in a city park or on a drug-filled sidewalk street.

One thing I’ve learned? There are more lessons than a single one, but we can’t help everyone. Some don’t want it, others cannot take what it means to be better, and still, many are content to be who they are and want you to give them everything.

These pandemic years have shown what happens when we dump all sicknesses on healthcare professionals. We destroy them because there are not enough of them, and the weight of caring for so many creates problems in their own psyche.

During the past 6-8 weeks, this is probably the fault of our social platforms promoting people I don’t follow, but many have cried out for help. They’re drowning, about to go under, and please pray – “I don’t think I can make it.”

For the briefest moment, I wonder: Where are their families, friends, churches, and medical personnel? Why do they need to be narcissistic and try to rally strangers to their bedside of challenges?

The Social Crowd rallies to the challenge. Likes, Loves, Shares, and Comments. Thousands respond. Get enough responses, and you may become a trendsetter and a voice that will earn you sponsorship dollars.

Is money the answer? Hardly. We’ve seen what millions of dollars do for the homeless crisis in our own state. Nothing. Spell it slowly. N-O-T-H-I-N-G.

I’m reminded of Jesus healing the dozens, hundreds, and thousands, and there is no end to the needs. He shares the load with his disciples but teaches them that some results only come by much prayer and fasting [Matthew 17:21] – the spiritual side of hard work.

Maybe the key is for one person to be the answer for one person. You need a friend, confidant, mentor, teacher, coach, or a loved one.

Okay. Thought done. What are we going to do with the problem?

From A Single Gospel: Matthew

Matthew 8:14-17 NKJV Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. (15) So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. (16) When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, (17) that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND BORE OUR SICKNESSES.”

Matthew 12:15 NKJV But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.

Matthew 14:13-14 NKJV When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. (14) And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

Matthew 15:29-31 NKJV Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. (30) Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. (31) So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

Matthew 19:1-2 NKJV Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. (2) And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.

Matthew 21:12-15 NKJV Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. (13) And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER,’ but you have made it a ‘DEN OF THIEVES.'” (14) Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. (15) But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant