THE LOOK OF DESPAIR
“…all joy is darkened…” —Isaiah 24:11
I recently took my wife to the hospital for an out-patient surgery. While I waited in the designated waiting area, a family came in with their grayed haired mother on a wheel chair. She was about 60 years old and waited to be taken to surgery. While the family casually chatted amongst themselves, this dear mother just sat with a very gloomy look on her face. She did not say a word. She only stared blankly out the window. She was obviously depressed.
After a few minutes her son had to leave to go to work. He knelt next to his mother and asked his wife to take a picture of them with her cell phone. He wanted one more picture of him with his Mom, in case she didn’t make it through the surgery. He smiled but his mother continued to stare with a blank expression. Other family members tried to coax her, “Come on, Mom… Smile!” But, she would not smile or say a word. She didn’t see anything to smile about! It was a very sad scene.
As I reflect on that scene now, I wish I would have interrupted that family’s conversation to offer a word of hope. They certainly needed it.
We who are saved have the word of hope that can cheer a sorrowful spirit if they will receive it. If you see someone who looks like their world is coming to an end, offer them a word of hope and something to smile about.
One Reply to “THE LOOK OF DESPAIR”
My brother Tom and sister Lucy both have cancer. Tom was just diagnosed with Liver cancer and Lucy is a survivor of pancreatic cancer diagnosed now with cancer in the lung, stomach and intestine. They don’t want me to talk to them about the Lord but they will let me pray for them. So , my advice to dealing with perhaps a sad looking stranger is maybe you could tell them you notice them being sad, you are a Christian and will pray for them. This may open the door to conversation or maybe not but that person will know someone cares.