Shameful Witness

     Recently, I've done some thinking about how we treat each other as Christians.  In teaching my children how to share their faith and be like Christ to the world daily, I have discovered that our greatest opportunity to witness to the lost is through the way we treat each other as Christians.  Often we fail at being Christ-like with one another.  We think we are but, through the eyes of the lost we are not.  We sit in church each week and hear we are to be the salt and light to the world, to encourage one another, to offer praise to our God and freely give forgiveness.  Yet, week after week at church, at fellowships, at games, at work, at school, at the park, at the store, at choir practice, at (you fill in the blank), we notice a brother or sister in Christ that is struggling, sad, down, fearful, confused, lonely, unsure, frustrated, angry, crushed, hurt, weary and we do nothing.
Oh we may know all the details or know nothing about their story, we may request prayer for them among our friends but they will never know.  Maybe we catch a glimpse of them looking our way and throw them a smile.  What is wrong with us? ???  God's word is clear in Ephesians 4:32, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."  We are called to be Christ's ambassadors and if we can not go to a brother or sister in Christ, put our arms around him/her and encourage, how can we approach the lost?????  I am sick of hearing a Christian tell another Christian that is obviously going through a storm, "I don't know what to say" or "I wish there was something I could do."  Are you serious????  You are a Christian, you have Christ in you and you really do not know what to say or do.  Shame on you, shame on all of us!  Get your Bible and use it, pray  with the person.  We should never let another Christian leave without reaching out to him/her.  When Christ was dying on the cross for all of us, he looked down and saw his mother and she was struggling and hurting.  Christ asked John to watch after her and take care of her.  He did not say, "Mom, I'll pray for you, it's going to be OK."
      I have discovered many times (several times recently) that you find out who your friends are when you are having a difficult time. There have been a couple times that I have not been very approachable and obviously very frustrated. I have had a few friends (???)that attempted to offer their help (but in a very weak way and with much attitude). You see, they offered to help and will likely state later "well I offered but she did not want MY help." They get a pat on their back and they can say their conscience is clear. I say do not offer your help if you really do not want to help because it will show in your attitude. And because of the attitude they had I brushed them off because they just made me feel worse. Later, I just got mad about the way I was treated because at the time a person is acting unlovable is the time he/she really needs a friend. Plus, that was out of character for me to be acting like that and the people I was around knew me and they knew I was under a lot of pressure at the time. So why treat me like that? But I learned who were my friends and they did not pass! I do not need people like that in my life nor do I need people like that in my kids lives.       I see this happening more and more in the Christian circles and it needs to stop and we need to change! We are hurting each other and not building up each other when actions like this happen. We are all going to say things and do things we do not mean to say or do and that is when we really need our brother or sister in Christ to love on us and help us through it. What an example of Christ that would be to the lost!!!!