Many Severely Wounded -- Love Needed

Everyone has hard things.  Everyone.  Some things can be obvious.  It's hard to hide crutches when you're using them!  A lot of things are not obvious.  Some wounds are so deep and hidden that maybe nobody knows about them except the person who is hurting.

I know such good people, and occasionally I know them well enough to see them walking around with a smile on their face giving good cheer and help to everyone they can while, inside, they feel broken.  Some people have heard hurtful words that seem trapped inside and impossible to kick out.  Some people have been treated as unimportant, or less than, until they are sure it's true.  There are those who feel like failures when their marriage or family breaks -- even though they tried with everything they had to make it work.  I've even had my own moments when I felt broken and fragile, but didn't know why.  My life is good!  Even misplaced guilt can be a big wound!

So, today and every day, instead of looking at someone and pointing out to them all of the ways I can see that they are wounded, I would like to be one who looks at them and sees all the ways they are wonderful and hold up a mirror to those things.  I want to love and care and walk beside and lift up.  I was just chatting with a friend who is so encouraging to me!  It makes such a difference!  We can use our best inner wound first aid -- healing through love.

Photo by Leighann Blackwood on Unsplash