the wounded (embrace or push aside?) - DECIDE -

has the "church" provided loving environments for hurting people? it's bad enough that many of us have had to pretend & perform in order to "seem" okay; all the while, our insides are dying from loneliness & feeling like outcasts.

"come on, man, you just gotta pray harder, memorize more scripture, snap out of it, stop sniveling, be a man, read the bible more, etc..."

some listed above are absolutely necessary in maturing & healing. but do they "fix" the damaged person by just saying them? are the over-simplistic, lazy, belittling, snobby, retorts- really the way to a hurting person's heart?

i think we've made a label/category/grouping that puts "messed-up" people into a sub-human status. "that guy/girl is messed-up, man. be careful, they'll freak you out. what's wrong w/that girl? man, they're jacked-up! loca en la cabeza. insane in the membrane. they're irritating, weird, 'out-there', crazy, & whatever else we've said about them".

as i have said these things about people i've known, i'm stuck in the duality of it. i, too, am one of "them": wounded, hurting, broken, & needing healing. are you one of "them", too? are we not all hurting in some way, shape, or form? can we afford to look down our noses @ the "messed-upness" of the lower-caste of "others"? in our private time & when trying to go to sleep, can you imagine if those thoughts/struggles/pains/hurts were broadcasted to everyone? then they'd know...

over the years i have read numerous articles & books on using "hurt" people in ministry. i'm still a bit disturbed by some things said. don't worry though, i'm sure that paul had no issues from his past as a Christian persecutor, peter & his buddies all grew up in Christian homes w/in the fisherman community, & every servant of Christ lived in a trauma free life. they didn't have anything to overcome through Jesus' healing: no emotional healing was needed. right? i'm sure this is the case, right? [note sarcasm]

one article mentioned that senior pastors must truly consider if they want to spend the time on a wounded person when choosing a leadership team. this is complete bullsh!t. in my opinion, it's the people that have been hurt than can best minister to people that hurt. it is my opinion that what the devil used to keep these people down (abuse & free will choices), will be used for good & used to help others in a big way. it's my opinion that we often find that severly traumitized or hurt children have been targeted by the enemy to keep them from their true calling (a threat in the spiritual realm). it's my understanding that it's the hurting people that you want on your team. they may screw you over, burn you, break your trust, but everyone does that. it's my opinion that if you want a strong team-member, you look @ the heart of someone who has been hurt. the present & up/coming generation doesn't want to argue about biblical facts or argue verse by verse. they want someone that can relate their life experiences & point them to Jesus.

p.s. all are hurting. all have been hurt. all need freedom from lies. all need healing in many ways. i've looked down on hurting people. others have looked down on me.

i would like to encourage us to remember who Christ came to save (it was not the righteous). that He desired that all would come to Him (none perish). that we would make disciples. that we would spread the gospel. that we would love Him & each other. & that we set the captives free!