This post was written July 31, but I am only posting it today. I hope you can glean something from it.
SUFFER
(verb) to undergo of feel pain or distress; to endure pain, disability, death, etc...
I can't tell you the number of times I get into what my wonderful mother calls the PLOMs. Have you ever heard of them? PLOM is an acronym for Poor Little Ol' Me. The idea is basically that you have a pity party for yourself. Why should I have a pity party? Some common reasons might be:
- My day goes badly
- I don't get "enough sleep"
- People being selfish/rude
- I'm bored and have nothing to do
I want to share an experience I had this afternoon that was a bit of a wake-up call for me. I went to visit a brother who is about 65 years old named Ben Tejedor who lives south of Cebu in a place called Tabunok. I took a jeep ride for about 30 minutes and walked for 10 minutes down a road to the turnoff where I had to walk down a dirt path for about 5 minutes. When I arrived at his one-room apartment that he shares with his wife, I knocked on the door and he called out that the door was open. I opened the door and saw him sitting behind his big desk, where he sits for most of the day. He didn't get up to greet me, but remained seated as he asked me how I was. Ben Tejedor has Parkinson's disease. I pulled up a chair by his desk and sat down and we began to talk. He asked me how everyone was and I began to tell him of all that had been going on, when suddenly he began to cry.
Ben Tejedor's Parkinson's disease is so bad that he shakes almost continuously. He can walk, but had a bad fall not too long ago and is afraid to go anywhere without someone's help. Because of this, he is pretty much confined to a room that is probably not 15 square feet in area. He doesn't go anywhere and depends on the visits of his friends for social interaction. He takes vitamin supplements, but as far as I know, Parkinson's disease still has no cure. He is getting progressively worse and is in constant pain. His wife is not a Christian and considers him a burden. I don't know about you, but if I was in his situation, I would probably cry too. A lot.
I held his hand and tried to encourage him. He told me that I shouldn't waste my time visiting him and talking with him, because he could give me nothing in return. Can you imagine the thought? I tried to convince him that this was a silly thought because he IS important to me, he IS my brother, and that I wasn't WASTING MY TIME!
Needless to say, he was pretty down and I'm not sure he heard anything I said. I tried to tell him that everyone at church asks about him, and how we understand his situation. I also tried to convince him to come to church this Sunday. I told him that I would come and pick him up, and I would take him. He said he would consider this, so I am hoping that he will in fact agree.
I share this because of the idea of suffering. I looked into the eyes of this man, so beat down by his hardship and pain, and wondered how I could have ever thought that I had any idea what suffering is. Looking back on my visit with him, another person's suffering comes to mind.
And we see Jesus, who having been made lower than angels for a short time has been crowned with glory and honor on account of the suffering of death, in order that by grace of God he might taste death in behalf of all. Hebrews 2:9
I have learned a lesson, I hope, about my selfishness. Perhaps this will help you too. Too many times people complain and are saddened when they should rejoice at the FREEDOM we have in Christ. We can have joy, even in the hard times. The next time you feel down, think about THAT. Christ was willing to give up his happiness and comfort for YOU! :) For me, that is a comforting thought...
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