12.03.2021

Remember the lonely!

 


The holidays are upon us once again! A season filled with Christmas on every hand—music and lights, gifts and family, excitement and joy.

But not for everyone.

Just as the virus is pandemic in our world, so is loneliness. Some are facing devastating personal loss, some are navigating the painful waters of bereavement. Divorce, singleness, and broken relationships all bring their own brand of desperate aloneness. Young people and children have found themselves trying to cope with new models of isolation with varying success. We’ve all heard the stories.

And if that weren’t enough, we now have masks to hide our smiles and rules to keep us safely apart. Don’t touch! Don’t get too close! Protect yourself! And sometimes we even use these as an excuse to not get into the uncomfortable world of someone else’s pain.

Jesus understands our pain

I remember a season of loneliness in my single days that threatened to undo me. I had moved to a new town, hadn’t made friends yet, and looked hopefully to my new little church to fill some of the emptiness. But week after week, people smiled, said hi—and went their way after service. I  desperately wanted someone to say, “Hey, come on home with us for lunch.” But it never happened. One particular Sunday I remember crying my way through the afternoon, fairly certain I could drop dead in the church aisle and no one would even notice.

A bit dramatic, I know. But the pain was real. Eventually God brought good friends my way and life mellowed out. But it was a lesson I never wanted to forget—remember the lonely!

Jesus understood this kind of pain and went to lengths to reach out with tender love and understanding to such sufferers. He healed lepers who knew the excruciating loneliness and isolation that awful disease brought. He reached out personally to all manner of those whose conditions had plunged them into despair and hopelessness.

He charged His followers to do the same.

Jesus taught that reaching out to the lonely is tied up with our eternal inheritance in the Kingdom. He told us to bring strangers into our homes, to care for each other’s needs, and visit those in prison. When we do that, He said, we are actually doing it to Him. (Matthew 25:34-40)

Wow, what a pressing truth! We can go to church every Sunday and not see the grieving widow or struggling single, greet them with a quick “Hi, how are you?” and be on our way. What would it mean to them to take a few minutes, really find out how they are, listen, pray for them—and follow up next week? Even in a crowd, we can be lonely. The reality is, we want to be seen and known.

What can we do?

This holiday season, as never before, opportunities to reach out to the lonely are legion. How can we do a better job of that? 

The ideas are endless, but it begins with awareness of those around us. We can start a conversation or make a phone call. Invite someone out to eat or to your home for a meal. Sit with them, listen with engagement and patience and heart. Introduce them to others. Include them in a family activity or service project. Follow up later or next week, let them see that someone cares. 

Visit the elderly or shut-ins if it is allowed. When we're in the store or workplace, give an offer of help, or make a point to give a word of encouragement and appreciation. Those moments of personal interest might be the lifeline someone needs that day. 

And, if course, pray. We are privileged to be partnering with God in His passionate concern for people. I pray He will direct and bless each of our efforts. It might be that your outreach will change a life!


(Photo by Alex Green, Pexels)

9 comments:

  1. Such a good reminder that we need to reach out to the lonely among us even as our Christmas to-do lists threaten to consume us. Only what's done for Christ will last throughout eternity. Thank you.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Annie! Yes, I’m trying to be more intentional this Christmas about this, too. God bless your service to Him this holiday time.

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  2. As someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one, I should be more aware of the need to reach out to others. But I confess, I am making slow progress in this. I expect being more attentive to the loneliness of others would help me through my own painful journey. Thank you for reminding me that Jesus is the One to whom we can always turn to for comfort. Thanks also for encouraging me to be more attuned to the reaching out to others. Wishing you a blessed Christmas, Wendy.

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    1. I am so sorry for your loss, Katherine. This must be especially hard as the holidays make it more poignant. I do believe that your point about reaching out to others helping yourself is really true. May the Lord direct your days and efforts as you seek to honor Him, and wrap you in His wonderful comfort. God bless!

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  3. Feeling invisible is such a miserable ache when you are looking for connections and friendship. Thanks for reminding us of the yearning behind tentative smiles and "I'm fine, how are you?" responses.

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    1. Just writing about this has had the effect of raising my own awareness another notch, Barb! A good exercise and a greater challenge. Christmas blessings!

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  4. I can sure remember that CHRISTmas season when I too felt separated from everyone and everything Ms. Wendy. So appreciate this post to help remind others that we are never truly alone; and how important during the holidays that we remember we are supposed to be the hands and feet of God. Great post ma'am. Thank you; and God's blessings.

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    1. I know we’ve all experienced those feelings of separation, J.D., and it’s so painful. The love and comfort we can offer is so powerful! Thank you for visiting and commenting, and special Christmas blessings to you and Ms. Diane!

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  5. Thanks for the reminder. Sometimes we are in such a hurry we don’t slow down to notice what’s really important.

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Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate you taking time to comment and being part of the conversation.