Rising From The Ashes

In literature, the "pheonix" is a mythical bird that was able to bring life from hopeless death.  After a life-span of about one thousand years, this legendary bird would settle in a tree to die.  At the moment of death, the bird would burst into flames, only to be given life and rebirth from its ashes.  The phoenix serves as a symbol of hope in a time of despair.  As Christians, we don't look to a bird for our hope.  We look to Jesus.

Sometimes life seems to cloud that hope.  The older that I get, the more often reality checks come.  I am just about to the point of not watching the news anymore.  Tragedy strikes daily.  This morning's headlines covered a story of a family in New York driving to a family reunion, when the driver lost control of the car.  The mini-van plummeted sixty feet into the Bronx Zoo, killing all seven family members.  A precious family in the middle of a Sunday afternoon drive-- gone in an instant.

Last week, I learned of a friend's diagnosis of inoperable brain cancer.  He is the father of three children, in the prime of his life.  Also, last week, we celebrated the life of a wonderful friend and mentor who lost (or won, however you may look at it!) a nine year battle with cancer.  Sometimes it is so hard to make sense of life.  Sometimes, life seems almost too difficult.  The hard times blot out our remembrances of joy.  The clouds roll in, and it seems as if they will never again part to reveal a ray of light.  Life is hard, and it is so easy to lose our faith. 

As Christians, we are called to serve those in need.  To hold up those who are weak.  To give strength to the weary.  But how do we support and help those going through such terrible heartbreak?  I try to teach my children daily about empathy--not sympathy.  Not just sympathy of feeling sorry, but true empathy.  Being able to put yourself in another person's shoes.  Being able to really feel their joy and their pain.  Being able to use our experiences in life to help other people in a way that only we can.

Suffering and joy teach us, if we allow them, how to make the leap of empathy, which transports us into the soul and heart of another person. In those transparent moments we know other people’s joys and sorrows, and we care about their concerns as if they were our own.”
~Fritz Williams

Several weeks ago, our school family suffered the tragic loss of one of our students.  Matt, was a junior, and his smile is engraved into my mind for all time.  A star football player and overall great young man, Matt was taken from us so suddenly.  The impact of his death has been so evident on our student body.  The students give hugs and love much more freely.  Typical high school drama has taken a backseat to more important things.  Matt's positive influence lives on, although his laughter was noticeably absent from our banquet last weekend.  I have thought of Matt's father, Pete, a thousand times in the past month.  Pete admittedly was Matt's best friend, and Matt was his whole life. I cannot imagine the pain; the loss; the void.

Friends have ministered to Pete in the past weeks.  Prayers have been offered daily that God bring healing and comfort to this grieving father.  Prayers that somehow good can come from such loss.  God has been present and working in those few weeks.  Yesterday, Matt's influence shined extremely bright as Pete took on the Lord Jesus in baptism.  What a tribute to his son!  What a remembrance that God, too, lost a son, and through Him, we are given the promise of eternity!  What an example of rising over tragedy! 
What a blessing that God used people to minister to another!

In thinking of the joy in the midst of sorrow, I am reminded of an Old Testament story about David.  David has always been one of my favorite Bible characters.  David is said to be "a man after God's own heart," but he messed up -- ALOT!  (That gives me hope!)  After an adulterous affair with a woman, their newborn son becomes extremely ill. David prays and prays for God to heal the baby.  He fasts and puts on sackcloth, begging God to spare the child.  God answers is "No."  After the baby's death, David arises, washes himself, and eats.  He states that although he cannot bring the child back, he can one day go to the child.  When I heard of Pete's baptism, I couldn't help but think--Pete cannot bring Matt back, but he can surely go to him one day!  What a blessing to begin healing his broken heart!

So today, I encourage you (and me!) to be an encouragement to someone in your life.  Someone who is going through a difficult time.  Think back to a time when you were in a valley, and how support was so needed and appreciated.  You never know how your smile, your presence, your kind word can uplift another.  Be the imaginary pheonix in someone's life, and help them to rise up.  Be Jesus in someone's life, and give them the hope that only He can offer!