Suicide Abortion or Life
It seems like yesterday yet it was 30 years ago. He was such a nice young man that everyone loved. Not only was he a stand out on the track he was also very accomplished on the guitar. His talents were so vast no one knew exactly where his future lied however the certain thing was that it was bright. His friends and family were so proud of him because his love and heart for others seemed to know no bounds. He was truly bigger than life.
I think it was late in the day when I heard of the suicide and to say I was shocked was an understatement. For the life of me I could not imagine what would lead him to such an act of finality. His life was on cruise control with nothing but sunshine ahead. What I did not know was the young man in a conservative little town was gay.
The secret he lived with must have been excruciating beyond words. I think somewhere in his heart and soul he knew that his dream life that others saw was about to become a nightmare when the truth came out. His life ended that day many years ago but the memory of a life that was lost will be with me forever.
You see in that small town and family had he lived to expose the truth he would have been ridiculed, mocked, bullied, and the list could go on and on. His family would have gladly shared with him the embarrassment he caused everyone. Sure as people read this they could always look back and say "you don't know that is how people would have acted".
Recently I read a story about a young lady that was facing abortion. Oh the fear and loneliness she must have felt. She shared with her family what had happened and expecting a loving embrace she got rejection and anger. She could have gone ahead and had the abortion and no one would have known, however she felt she could trust and confide in those closest to her. She was in a very bad place in life. She went to a center that helps women facing these decisions. I do not know what she felt inside, the fear or pain in her heart. I do not know how much turmoil must have tossed around in that young mind of hers. What I do know is the outcome.
Life is full of ups and downs. In most cases the bad stuff as we call it happens to the other families not ours. That gives us the opportunity to create opinions that at times make us sound like bigots. I am not sure where the love ends and the hate begin.
In this reflection do not read into it something it is not. I am not speaking out about abortion or suicide. I am not speaking out about people that are gay or straight. What I am speaking out about is pure love for your neighbor. Everyone that felt sorry for the young man that committed suicide would have had totally different feelings had he of lived to expose the truth.
Where does our Christian community really reside? The way I see it I hope is not the way it is. In our churches we create committees that do this and that but very few committee members would volunteer for the true work that is needed in the streets of life. We can express pride for our involvement in things however I ask you if the things of which you find yourself involved are moving people forward, backward, or no where at all. Being engaged in a church family is important no question about that. Equally important is seeing the value of what you are involved in. Your time, treasure, and talent is valuable which makes it very important that you spend your resources doing things that bring people closer to God.
By now as you read this you have formed an opinion about what I have written. You may think you know why I wrote it or where it came from. Let me confess right now that the characters in this reflection were not real. I made up two people yet what I write happens 365 days per year. Now that you know they were not real does it change your feelings toward what is written here?
My hope is we can all change our views of humanity. I hope and pray that we can stop getting our heads twisted by the news of the day and remember that behind all actions are people. People that are hurting inside and they have no where to turn. We can say that they got what they deserved but can you also say that the choice they made may be because of a choice we made. We turned away instead of embracing.
Just love, let's all step down from the pedestal we place ourselves on and get back in touch with the needs of our world and community. Quit trying to convert people to this or that simply lend a loving hand.
I do want to share a quick story of truth. I was talking to an elderly lady a few weeks ago whose husband had recently passed away. In our conversation I made the comment that life was great when you have friends. With a serious tone she replied "I don't have any friends". She went on to tell that the church community of which she had given her life had not reached out to make sure she was ok. Whether they did or did not I can't say but this is her perception of reality.
It's life folks simply life. We can make it better or we can make it worse. I believe in my heart that everyone wants to do better. I challenge you today to look deep and find where you place your faith. Is it in the living Word of hope in the Bible or is it somewhere else. The Word tells us to love, people tell us to hate. The Word teaches us to help, people teach us to turn away. The Word teaches us to lift up, while people go to extremes to push others down. Follow the Word and lets make this place a better place to be.
peace to you
Dale
I think it was late in the day when I heard of the suicide and to say I was shocked was an understatement. For the life of me I could not imagine what would lead him to such an act of finality. His life was on cruise control with nothing but sunshine ahead. What I did not know was the young man in a conservative little town was gay.
The secret he lived with must have been excruciating beyond words. I think somewhere in his heart and soul he knew that his dream life that others saw was about to become a nightmare when the truth came out. His life ended that day many years ago but the memory of a life that was lost will be with me forever.
You see in that small town and family had he lived to expose the truth he would have been ridiculed, mocked, bullied, and the list could go on and on. His family would have gladly shared with him the embarrassment he caused everyone. Sure as people read this they could always look back and say "you don't know that is how people would have acted".
Recently I read a story about a young lady that was facing abortion. Oh the fear and loneliness she must have felt. She shared with her family what had happened and expecting a loving embrace she got rejection and anger. She could have gone ahead and had the abortion and no one would have known, however she felt she could trust and confide in those closest to her. She was in a very bad place in life. She went to a center that helps women facing these decisions. I do not know what she felt inside, the fear or pain in her heart. I do not know how much turmoil must have tossed around in that young mind of hers. What I do know is the outcome.
Life is full of ups and downs. In most cases the bad stuff as we call it happens to the other families not ours. That gives us the opportunity to create opinions that at times make us sound like bigots. I am not sure where the love ends and the hate begin.
In this reflection do not read into it something it is not. I am not speaking out about abortion or suicide. I am not speaking out about people that are gay or straight. What I am speaking out about is pure love for your neighbor. Everyone that felt sorry for the young man that committed suicide would have had totally different feelings had he of lived to expose the truth.
Where does our Christian community really reside? The way I see it I hope is not the way it is. In our churches we create committees that do this and that but very few committee members would volunteer for the true work that is needed in the streets of life. We can express pride for our involvement in things however I ask you if the things of which you find yourself involved are moving people forward, backward, or no where at all. Being engaged in a church family is important no question about that. Equally important is seeing the value of what you are involved in. Your time, treasure, and talent is valuable which makes it very important that you spend your resources doing things that bring people closer to God.
By now as you read this you have formed an opinion about what I have written. You may think you know why I wrote it or where it came from. Let me confess right now that the characters in this reflection were not real. I made up two people yet what I write happens 365 days per year. Now that you know they were not real does it change your feelings toward what is written here?
My hope is we can all change our views of humanity. I hope and pray that we can stop getting our heads twisted by the news of the day and remember that behind all actions are people. People that are hurting inside and they have no where to turn. We can say that they got what they deserved but can you also say that the choice they made may be because of a choice we made. We turned away instead of embracing.
Just love, let's all step down from the pedestal we place ourselves on and get back in touch with the needs of our world and community. Quit trying to convert people to this or that simply lend a loving hand.
I do want to share a quick story of truth. I was talking to an elderly lady a few weeks ago whose husband had recently passed away. In our conversation I made the comment that life was great when you have friends. With a serious tone she replied "I don't have any friends". She went on to tell that the church community of which she had given her life had not reached out to make sure she was ok. Whether they did or did not I can't say but this is her perception of reality.
It's life folks simply life. We can make it better or we can make it worse. I believe in my heart that everyone wants to do better. I challenge you today to look deep and find where you place your faith. Is it in the living Word of hope in the Bible or is it somewhere else. The Word tells us to love, people tell us to hate. The Word teaches us to help, people teach us to turn away. The Word teaches us to lift up, while people go to extremes to push others down. Follow the Word and lets make this place a better place to be.
peace to you
Dale
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