Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
According to information found at GoodReads.com* about Kathryn Stockett’s book, The Help…“Aibileen
is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white
child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son,
who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the
little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be
broken.” You may have read The Help and/or seen the subsequent movie version.
At
one point in the story, Aibileen tells the child, named Mae Mobley…”You
is kind. You is smart. You is important.” Little Mae Mobley is chubby,
has a bald spot and her mother ignores her. Even Aibileen - who adores
the little girl - admits that Mae Mobley is not the cutest child in the
world! But she does all she can to encourage her…and to soothe her
broken heart.
We all need a champion…someone who will lift us up
and encourage us – even when we aren’t so cute. And as Christians who
have been rescued, we need to “pay it forward” and encourage others who
are struggling. We need to know that when we mess up – and we all will
at some point – we can be forgiven…redeemed…and restored. This is what
Jesus does for us – not because He has to, but because He wants to do
so. He suffered, bled and died for our sins, and when we humbly ask Him
to forgive us…He does so.
Here’s the thing…you cannot merely
say, “I’m sorry” and expect forgiveness. You have to mean it. You
cannot offer lip service… to others - and especially to Jesus…and go on
your merry way. You would not want to hang out with people who treated
you this way. Jesus did not die for us so that we could abuse His grace
and mock His generosity! In His eyes, “we is kind…we is smart…we is
important”…and so much more. And it’s time we acted like it!
Jesus’
loving, forgiving, all-redeeming arms are open to all who humbly seek
them. Are you ready for a Champion’s welcome, forgiveness and
encouragement? When a friend or neighbor humbly seeks your mercy, will
you pay forward Jesus’ gift and offer this as His disciple? Will this
be the day that Jesus heals your broken places and rescues you? Don’t
you want it to be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4667024-the-help
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