What Matters Most

by Chuck Cleveland

Let me begin with a brief story told by my friend Steve Brown, the teacher on the Key Life radio program. I have his permission to share it, and it goes like this:

Did you hear about the little girl who was late getting home one evening? Her mother asked her why and she said, “I stopped to help Susie.” Her mother replied, “What happened?”

“Well, Susie hurt her doll—the head was broken off.”

“Oh, you helped Susie fix the doll.” The little girl answered, “Oh no, we couldn’t fix the doll. I stopped to help Susie cry.”

Intrigued by Steve’s story, I began to ask people, “When someone (preferably not your spouse or a parent) was a special friend to you, what exactly did that person do on your behalf? By the way, how would you answer that question?

I’ve spoken to 25 to 30 people over the last few years, and the overwhelming majority answered in a similar manner. They cited instances when someone came alongside them when they were confronted with a sick child, the loss of a job, a dying parent, a broken relationship, or some other calamity.

When asked if that friend provided advice on how to resolve the crisis, most said no. That was shocking to me. After all, I reasoned, what are friends for, but to help resolve problems? And they’re saying what meant the most to them was just being there.

The good news, of course, is that all of us can be there for others. We don’t need to have an advanced degree to listen to those struggling; we don’t even need to be particularly smart to help the hurting. As we can infer from Steve Brown’s story about the little girl who befriended Susie, when we cry with others, they feel genuinely loved and we are greatly enriched.

Perhaps the best biblical account of such sharing is that of Job’s much-maligned friends. As captured in the last three verses of chapter two, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar traveled to Job’s home, where they wept over his distress. Remarkably, they stayed an entire week without speaking to Job, for they saw how much he was suffering.

Unfortunately, they eventually opened their mouths, and chapters four through thirty-seven ensued. Despite all that conversation, there was little or no communication—at least on a personal level. Instead, the foursome (and later Elihu) took turns making lengthy theological and philosophical speeches that have little or no effect on each other.

Contrasted to our frequent insensitivity to others, let’s look at the compassion exhibited by the Lord Jesus when he encountered a leper in Matthew 8, Mark 1, and Luke 3:

A man with leprosy came to Christ with the expectation that the Lord would heal him if he were willing to do so. Jesus reached out, touched the man, and declared, “I am willing.” Immediately, leprosy left him.

In our day, there may not be many lepers, but there is no shortage of loners, and they want someone to be there for them. Given the Lord’s example, should we not go and do likewise?

About The Author Chuck Cleveland lives in Newnan, GA and has written for three area magazines, as well as the local newspaper. He has been a Christian for over 50 years.

Independent Living • Assisted Living • Patio Homes Independent Living • Assisted Living • Patio Homes Independent Living • Assisted Living • Patio Homes Independent Living • Assisted Living • Patio Homes Independent Living • Assisted Living • Patio Homes