It’s not my problem.
How many times have I heard that phrase or thought those words? How many times have I muttered,
It’s not my problem.
We are inundated every week… sometimes every day… with problems, problems, problems.
We face problems of our spouses, our kids, our friends, our parents, our brothers, our sisters, our neighbors, our neighbors’ brothers and sisters, our kids’ friends, our parents’ kids (oh, that’s us… yes we have our own problems, too!), our friends’ spouses and kids, and on and on and on. You get the picture. Problems are all around us, all of the time. Never mind problems facing our country, other countries… our world. It becomes very easy, and much less painful, to say…
It’s not my problem.
My oldest walks in, fuming, following an interaction with a friend. He burns with a young temper, blurred eyes, and heavy heart. He tells of the woes of another. Angry, he spouts,
It’s not my problem!
A friend on the phone. Frustrated, angry, bone weary from burdens.
It’s not my problem.
Our minds at times are drenched with woes, heartache, worries, fears… just plain pain.
It’s not my problem.
Or, is it?
When one part of a body aches, suffers, or fails ~ does the rest of the body whisper,
It’s not my problem.
When a clot forms, an artery is blocked, a vessel bursts ~ does the brain insist,
It’s not my problem.
When the left half of the heart fails, congestion of the veins in the lungs cause fluid to build ~ do the lungs scream,
It’s not my problem.
What about a member of His body? This body here on Earth walking through disaster, desperation, depression, denial, death. What do we say to the maimed and wounded parts of His body?
It’s not my problem.
Or is it?
I came across wise words…
Christians are Christ’s body, the organism through which He works. Every addition to that body enables Him to do more. If you want to help those outside you must add your own little cell to the body of Christ who alone can help them. Cutting off a man’s fingers would be an odd way of getting him to do more work.
CS Lewis
Maybe it is our problem. No maybe about it. It is our problem.
To strengthen our body… His body… we must add ourselves to it. In service. In support. In sacrifice.
A listening ear often gives the wound… and the wounded… time to heal. We bind ourselves together, sometimes even when we don’t really want to, we bind together to heal the break. Allowing Him to heal the break into a renewed strength.
My little one, eyes searching mine with worry,
Maybe we can help?
Shouldn’t we help?
We would want help.
Yes, we can. Yes, we should. Yes, we would… we would want someone to see us, hear us, help us.
We need others, even when it’s not their problem. Or is it?
Proverbs 24:10-12
If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?
I keep saying that “no one in the world seems responsible any longer”…sort of along the same lines. I like the C.S. Lewis quote…YES – we all are connected. Let me know how I can help with your problems…we’re connected always. XOXO
We ARE connected. Things are so much easier when there are two (~Winnie the Pooh) (from my little one’s pj’s 🙂 ). Here’s to keeping the body strong! xoxo
Oh yes…if we’re going to take on the role of His children…it’s our problem. My great-grandmother used to tell me “Jesus left us in charge…” and my mother would add “So start acting like it!” 🙂
It’s a good thing He made us relational people…so it isn’t as hard as we make it seem.
beautiful post, Karin! thank you for encouraging me to take charge of enhancing His Kingdom!
I love what your great-grandmother said! Yes, we are left in charge – daunting task. But, you are so right, it isn’t as hard as we make it – like so many things (leave it to humans to make things harder than they need to be…). Love seeing you here… thanks Nikki 🙂