My brother and I once had an old beagle hound named Sam. Sam was an old dog when we got him, but we had always wanted a beagle and this was our chance. He was kind of a tired old fella. He didn't have much ambition, which is another story for another time.
Right after we got Sam, we hadn't had him but a few weeks, we had a new baby in the house, our daughter was born. So we decided it might be best to keep Sam outside for a while, at least until she got a bit older. We tied him on the back porch so he could lay in the grass if he wanted or could lay on the sheltered porch. We couldn't let him roam free because of leash laws and we didn't have a fenced area, so we had to tie him.
Down the road lived a huge hound dog with only one eye. This dog was big, ugly and just looked mean. It really looked like he had gotten in a fight with a bear or something and had lost his eye. His owners kept him tied in their front yard so I had seen the dog, from a distance, many times without getting close to him.
One particular day I was standing at the kitchen sink, looking out the window, when I saw this ugly, mean looking, dog walking down my drive way. I knew there was going to be trouble, so I headed for the kitchen door. Before I could get it open and get outside the two dogs tangled and started fighting. When I came out of the house yelling, the ugly dog took off running leaving behind a wounded Sam.
Being chained, and being old, Sam was unable to get away or to fight effectively. He had a few wounds on his face and was cowed down a bit, hurting! He had crawled back up on the porch and was hiding, so I reached out to him to help him. When I did Sam’s bite my hand! I was startled and shocked at his reaction. Sam had never acted aggressive toward any of us. Our two-year-old son played with him all of the time and Sam was so patient with him. I wondered what was going on when Melinda, my wife, said, “He is hurt and afraid! Leave him alone for a few minutes and then we will help him.”
Sure enough, when a few minutes had elapsed we were able to mend Sam’s wounds and help him. Sad to say, the attack took something away from Sam and he was never the same. He died of natural causes not too long after that.
I was thinking today of Old Sam. Wounded people are much like Sam was that day. You can see they are hurting. You can see they need help. You might even know the answer they need to hear or the course of action they need to take. However, when you reach out to them, they attack you, the one who is trying to help them!
Oh, wounded one! Be careful that you, in your hour of need, don’t push away the hands that are trying to help you. It is easy to become harsh, cynical, scornful and hateful. It is easy to find wrong with every thing and everybody. We can all do that. Yet, this isn't going to help you. It will not strengthen you and it will not heal you. It only drives away those who want to help you until you stand alone.
Ironically enough, in my lifetime I have found that when I am hurting and lashing out at those who are trying to help, it usually means I am having a problem with God. He has done something, or failed to do something, that I felt was very important to my life. If I want healing, I need to make sure I have forgiven God! I won’t find healing from pats on the back and encouraging hugs from my brothers and sisters, although I need those. Words of affirmation won’t make a long term difference, although I need those. I have got to go to the root of the problem and get things right with God.
The writer of Hebrews admonishes us: “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (Heb. 12:15 NLT) Bitterness is the result of unforgiveness. It is like a cancer and will consume and destroy everything it touches.
A person, who has been wounded, will turn one of two different ways. They will allow God to comfort them and heal them. Later they will be a blessing to others who are wounded because they know, from personal experience, that God will comfort and heal. (2 Cor. 1:3-4) Or, unfortunately, they refuse comfort! They withdraw to themselves and lash out at the helping hands of others. One day, bitterness overcomes them and they are destroyed. All the time they are blaming God.
My brother and sister, let it not be so in your life! Fall in love with an altar of repentance and make things right with your God. Allow him to cleanse away the acid and bitterness and make you fresh and new again.
Oh well! It’s just a thought!
