H ow do they look? I mean the
Ones in the corner. They're
P eople so lost in doubts, depression, and anxieties
E ven pigeons don't notice them.
O ur culture parades the strong, decorates the heroic, loves the perfect ones, but the
"Ugly," the "weak," the ones who need more than just ho-hum "You'll be okay" responses...
T hey're the ones stuck in the corner.
" R eputation, popularity doesn't matter," the
E ducation system says.
A pparently, it matters too much. Why? The.
C orner. Exists.
H ope. It's
P riceless!
R eaching out to the
O nes in the corner. It's human.
J ust imagine reaching
E very child in the
C orner To Write Love On Their Arms.
T o Engrave Hope On Their Heart.
For the Christian, the fact that the "corner exists" should hurt more than it hurts those of the world. Why? There are a few reasons.
1) Human Sanctity - Each human who was, is, and will be, was made in the image of God. We all fall terribly short of His standards, yet He loves us all dearly, so much so that He died and rose again to redeem ALL of us. We receive His unmerited forgiveness as long as we freely choose to follow and serve Him just as He served others while Jesus walked the Earth. So, because God holds each small human so close to His heart, Christians are called to do the same. Because there are people who don't receive that love, we should be utterly offended and hurt just as God is.
2) Jesus' Example - Simply reading the Gospels reveals how focused Jesus was on serving others, whether they deserved it or not. He stood up for the weak, and held close the hurting. He pushed away the proud Pharisee but beckoned forward the woman with the bleeding condition (that ironically the Pharisees pushed away). Then what is up with this air of silence and ho-hum response coming from the Church when someone takes their life? Why don't we care? Why are we more focused on calling Christmas "Christmas", and making churches as crowded as movie theaters than saving people from themselves? Why isn't there so much outrage against self-murder as there rightly is against abortion?
3) Jesus' Purpose - Jesus came to give all who follow Him a life worth living. He alone can use a life, that fades as quick as vapor, to majorly impact future generations of the Church, and even the world. If you don't have Him, you have nothing. But if you have Him, that is truly when He turns you into someone; all for His glory. So, if Jesus came to bring a truly purpose-filled life, then taking your life is no longer okay. This is why Christians should be passionate about eliminating suicide.
4) Human Potential - Someone who commits suicide doesn't just fade into the backdrop. They are not completely ignored after a few years; as potentially suicidal people think. They create a gap in society. The industry they should have served in misses their talents and contributions, no matter how big or small. The church they would have attended in the future has a gaping hole where their special, God-given talent should have been used to awaken fellow Christians from their mundane Christian life. The people they could have met in the future miss their influence. What about their future husband or wife? Now they have to settle with someone who perhaps doesn't compliment them as much. The economy suffers when someone takes their life. The Church suffers. Future me, you, and others suffer. A human's presence isn't ever forgotten. People might forget; but the void they leave makes us and the generations after suffer. Now imagine how many voids there are when approximately 40,000 humans take their lives per year. Let that number sink in.
Suicide prevention is something all Christians should begin speaking up against passionately. With love and respect for those hurting to the degree that they are actually considering it. This Suicide Prevention Day, speak up! Get in it to stop it! Do something as simple as wearing yellow or drawing a semicolon on your wrist. Just do something.
If you are interested, visit my blog: Hope Outreach Project. It exists to help people with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicide, among the many issues covered.
hopeoutreachproject.tumblr.com
-----------------
Thank you for reading. If you were blessed, I would encourage you to share this.
Subscribe to our email list here:
Me In Perspective Email List Signup