When I was a small child, a huge cottonwood tree fell over in our pasture during a terrific windstorm. That seemingly strong tree had stood alone for decades, but that day it fell. A close examination revealed a rotting center that had been weakening the tree. Although its exterior looked strong and healthy, that tree had been slowly dying.
Cleaning up after a fallen tree is a fairly easy matter. You cut it up and haul it away. But what about a fallen life? What do we do when a human life collapses? Unlike that solitary tree, most people don’t live alone, but in a world of interdependence. We mingle in each other’s lives, inter-twine our roots and come to depend on each other. How do we deal with a life that has collapsed?
Some of us don’t let ourselves be known. We may seem fine to others, but we don’t let people know the real person inside. An unhealthy habit, a bad dependency or a small but deadly sin grows within us, and like a tiny bug it attacks our heart. If kept secret or if it is excused by others, it weakens the heart and soul.
When a collapse occurs, and everyone around feels the damage, family, friends, church members and associates. And the damage lingers, often for years. Thanks be to God there is hope for this. God repairs a damaged life if we invite Him to do so.
A large Lutheran Church in Phoenix has weekly “Celebrate Recovery” meetings that help with drug, alcohol and all sorts of dependencies. Each Friday evening over two hundred area men, women and youth meet for dinner and a joyful worship service. Then they go to their meetings and work on a recovery only Jesus can give them.
Jesus said in Luke 5:31, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” If you know of someone in danger by “hidden” sin, let them know you care, and try to find them a place where they can begin their recovery with Jesus’ help.
“That is how you are able to stand firm in the Lord.” (Philippians 4:1)
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