HIDE or HERALD
(or, Cover or Communicate)
At work
we have some good artists. Football
season creates some interesting bulletin board illustrations. “Roll Tide Roll!” “War Eagle!”
“yah, yah, yah…” It is fun and funny.
Somewhere,
there is a woman feeling betrayed, broken-hearted, embarrassed. Her husband, on a company trip to NOLA, woke
up to an empty motel room, with a hangover.
Evidently a new acquaintance who followed him to his room, waited until
he passed out and then she cleaned him out – his clothes, his billfold (with
company card!), everything! Also gone
were his dignity and respect. And his
manager was miffed when he failed to show for the morning meeting he was to
direct.
Meanwhile,
back at the mill, a new cartoon appeared with him in a barrel, and a hooker
flashing his billfold, with company card protruding! It has been copied, smart-phoned, emailed,
pinned on many a bulletin board. “Now,
that is funny!” is the most common response.
Another response, surely more appropriate, certainly more compassionate,
is “I must pray – for him, for his family, for his job, for his soul …”
Why the
difference in response?! One is
calloused; the other compassionate. One
is hardened; the other is heart-felt.
One sees the situation as an opportunity for another laugh. The other sees the predicament as call for
concern, prayer, and compassion. One
wants to parade the poor, fallen fool around for everyone to laugh at like some
court-jester. The other wants to take
off his coat and cover up the struggling sinner, perhaps even standing between
him and his mockers, calling them to higher ground.
“… love
does not rejoice in evil…” “… love
covers a multitude of sins …” – such verses from Holy Scripture come to
mind. It is godly to hide, to protect, to
console, to encourage. To mock, jeer,
scorn – these responses come from a dark place.
(It is a little discouraging that is the common response.) I am not saying that one should
hypocritically “sweep things under the rug”.
But, one should not “kick a man when he is down”?! Pick him up!
I
suspect that the jokers are justifying their own sin by looking down on his
wrong. “ … don’t judge me … don’t preach
to me … ” (read – “I am not as bad as THAT!)
It seems to help them justify in their own mind their own rebellion and
perversion?
The
second, higher, nobler, Christ-like response is mirrored in the words of D.
Moody as he answers someone disgustingly judging and condemning a drunk in the
gutter – “… but for the grace of God, there go I …” Wow!!
This godly man, ministering in “Hell’s Acre” (Chicago borough in 1800’s;
well named!) knew the strength of Paul’s admonition in Galatians 6:1-2 –
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be
tempted. Carry
each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Notice the verbs – restore, carry. Notice the adverb – gently!
In Luke
18, Jesus tells of these two different perspectives. One man, self-deceived, thinks he is not like
other men. The other man,
self-depreciating, thinks he is “THE sinner!?!”
And, as we appreciate, accept, acknowledge, assess forgiveness, we will
pass it on. None of us needs to carry
stones. Drop them.
Some
look at others stumble and rejoice, “he’s worse than me!” Others see the same stumbler and moan, “he’s
like me; God help him!” Will you hide,
or herald? Cover or cackle?
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.
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