Hope for the Hopeless

We had a tragedy at a local church this week. An elderly man committed murder/suicide by killing his sister (in her mid-eighties) and himself in their church arking lot early Sunday morning. He looked like he could have been my grandfather. Just a normal looking guy in our small little corner of the world. Reports describe him as a faithful church member and good man. It was tragic. It doesn't make sense.

It was striking to me because I thought about the people that are part of my church. And it should make you think about the people sitting next to you in yours. Or, even at your office. Oh, no, I don't mean to be afraid. I mean to be loving. There are hurting people in our church pews or auditoriums. There are hurting people in the cubicle next to us. There are people that seem normal that we see at the ball game each week that are aching inside. There are people in line at the grocery store that need a comforting word. There are people we come across in the Post Office that need hope.

The church is not immune to hopelessness and despair. Let us be a people that has our eyes open to the hurting souls of the world. How can you spread cheer today? How can you offer hope? How can you let someone know that they are noticed? Who can you tell that you love them today? There might be someone that needs it, but they might not look like it. Love people. We all need it.