What Do You Say To Someone...

We're living in rough quarters of the earth right now. My heart is very sensitive now as I grieve the passing of my "Pop". But even moreso now after hearing the news yesterday of a man who committed suicide after killing his wife and five (5) young children after he and his wife both lost their jobs. The reports came in on the radio yesterday as I was driving home about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Every comment, in my estimation, ended with "Why?"

Every news channel imaginable reported this tragedy as the top story in the Los Angeles area. Still, every comment ending with; "Why?"

As I was driving into work this morning, I heard a news report about a head on collision on one of our local freeways killing 2 people because one of the drivers was driving on the wrong side of the freeway. This is impossible knowing the freeway he or she was on without intentionally doing so.

Tragic news reports!

In my quite time, I started thinking; what would I say to someone contemplating suicide? Hmmm!

Unfortunately, if I could be honest here, I don't know.

But reality is we're faced with this issue and many others every week in the church and from those closest to us who feel like life just isn't worth living anymore. People are becoming more and more desperate to survive to the point that now the only way out is the grave.

I'm not just talking about unbelievers but I believe this issue is even more prevalent with believers. People, who say they love the Lord but hate themselves as well as life.

The test of our faith is trusting God through these economic challenges. My brother and my sister, my suggestion as a preventative measure is to stay prayed up and your nose in the word of God. Allow God to minister to you through prayer and the word.

For us preachers, our challenge is making sure we're preaching the Word of God pointing people to Him who holds all the answers to life's situations. The preaching/teaching moments in our worship services are critical. We never know who's sitting before us shouting but contemplating hurting themselves and/or someone else.

Something to think about....