| Over our summer vacation, my wife and I read a book together. As we traveled, we listened to “What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing.” This is an important topic for my wife. As a social worker, she is adamant about holistic approaches to therapy and healing. The book led us to consider what we ask about people. When someone acts out or repeats dangerous life cycles, our tendency is to ask, “What is wrong with you?” According to the reading, a better question might be, “What happened to you?” Our experiences shape us in ways we don’t even realize. More to the point, often, many people have traumatic experiences early in life. And many never learn how to recover or heal from them. They just kind of move on. I find this perspective quite helpful. It’s not meant to excuse anyone’s behavior. But it can help explain it. Some people have environments that help build resiliency against trauma. Others do not. Over the years, my wife has taught me how to see people in that light. Now, I don’t mean to impose modern psychology onto the Bible. But let’s see how this idea might take shape in our reading today. The book of Hebrews wants to encourage a struggling Christian community. In some ways, they have lost faith and hope. The writer could’ve shamed them–that’s a common tactic some people embrace. Instead, we read something different. Throughout the sermon, Jesus is the consistent theme. We can’t help but connect our faith to who and what Jesus is. Also, there are callbacks to people of faith whose witness we know. Many others we do not. And at least at one point, the writer beckons his audience back to their own faith. “Recall those earlier days,” he says. In those days, they endured hardships and displayed compassion for those in need. In his acknowledgment of their faith, he highlights why they might be struggling now. It’s the “what happened to you” to their current situation. What happened was they were “publicly exposed to abuse and persecution.” We’d all like to think we would face persecution with faith and confidence. Perhaps we would. After a while, though, it could weigh on us. Our once-strong conviction might dampen some. Include a few more difficult experiences and you can see why someone might feel defeated or done. Now, let’s think about what’s happening today. Why are people struggling? What circumstances do they face? It’s easy to accuse someone else of being faithless or backsliding. But have we considered how what they’ve gone through before might be impacting them now? Is it too hard to imagine that someone is dealing with circumstances right now that we do not know of or cannot understand? God’s church should be that healthy, healing environment for people to find peace. Does Jesus need shame to forgive you? Of course not! Scripture says we can cast our anxiety on him because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Well, then! May the Lord help us to see each other with grace and mercy as we encourage one another to know the love of God. Stay blessed…john |
John Fletcher
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