Souls in the Balance

By now you've probably heard about the theater shootings in Aurora, CO. Yesterday, there were memorial services and prayer services to remember those that were killed and pray for the injured. Our President even put his agenda on hold to go and see about those hurting in that city.

In the midst of all the news coverage and happenings surrounding this matter, one thing keeps bugging me: somebody knew. Someone knew that the alleged shooter, James Holmes, was off. Someone knew that something wasn't right with him. Someone saw that he was not in his right mind.

Yet no one said anything. No one did anything.

As believers it is practically our job to notice those who are outcast, rejected, hurting, and alone. It is our responsibility to show love to the unloved, to give to those who have nothing, to be friends to the friendless. We are to spread Jesus' love to everyone we see who needs it.



Marc Piscotty for nbcnews.com



The question is whether we are taking the time to do something about the people we see who are in need.

 Are we reaching out to those that we see hurting? Are we going out of our way to show love to someone who needs it? Do we reach out to those who we see are all alone?

There are souls in the balance.

True, not everyone will accept the love of Christ. Not everyone will respond to a caring act. But someone will. There's someone who is just waiting on someone else to show that they care. There's someone who wants someone else to notice that they're hurting. There's someone who doesn't want to feel alone anymore.

That's where we come in. When we show God's love, when we follow the Holy Spirit and reach out, when we take on the mind of Christ and pay attention to someone in need... we can turn things around. We can change someone's life. We can rescue someone from despair.

Who knows? Our small acts of kindness could lead a person to the Lord. Our smile or hug could save someone from the grasp of suicide. Our love could ease the hurt of someone who was planning to hurt someone else.

We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Are we doing our jobs? Does the world reflect our Christian actions? Is our faith impacting those we come in contact with?

We can't just live our lives in a bubble. We can't ignore the pain and hurt in the lives of those around us. We were given too much to be selfish. We were shown too much love to keep it all to ourselves. We have to start reaching out. We have to start living the life we claim. There are souls in the balance.

Verse of the Day: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18, 19