A WORD FOR TODAY, July 7, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, July 7, 2025
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, WEB
Our hearts are moved to compassion when we see a natural disaster wreak havoc on the other side of the world. We want to do something, but we are usually only able to send money or support organizations that are sent in to help. Our hearts are moved to compassion when we see a natural disaster wreak havoc on the other side of the country. We want to do something, and it is usually a little easier to have some sort of impact. We still donate to organizations, but many of us find a way to travel to those places to lend a hand. Our hearts are moved to compassion when we see a natural disaster wreak havoc closer to home. That’s what happened to us this weekend as the Hill Country of Texas was flooded. We are far more able to help with our hands as well as our wallets, although we often have to wait for the right time. It can be frustrating when we want to do something today, but we are encouraged to stay out of the way while first responders are still doing search and rescue work.
The closer you are to a natural disaster, the more you can do. Even if it is in your own backyard, however, we can’t stop life as we wait for the right opportunity. This is probably the hardest part of seeing people suffer: how do you laugh when people are crying? How do you celebrate as people mourn? How do you go on living when your neighbor’s lives have come to a sudden and desperate stop?
This thought came to a head during an incident at our church yesterday morning. It was time during worship for us to receive the bread and wine of communion. The serving team was gathering around the table when one of the members suddenly fell and hit her head. Thankfully, we have a well-trained emergency team that reacted immediately. When they were in place helping, our pastor continued the meal, serving the rest of the congregation. What would you have done? One the one hand, it seems dispassionate to go on. On the other hand, how much worse would have been to have a congregation staring at the group as they helped the woman. (We all breathed a sigh of relief when she was able to walk to her seat in a few minutes.) We never stopped caring. As a matter of fact, I’m certain that everyone in that congregation spent their time in prayer as they waited their turn to take communion. Life had to go on even when we were holding our breath for our friend.
I thought about the importance of life going on during the weekend as I watched too closely the events in the Hill Country. It was the Fourth of July, an important holiday for those of us in the United States. While I was watching videos of intense flooding, praying for those in the way (including friends), I also saw posts from friends who were celebrating the holiday. I did not begrudge them their fun, after all my life went on when those natural disasters happened so far from home. It was a little harder in my neighborhood. We live about an hour, and we received only a few inches of rain, so there was no direct impact on our neighborhood. People continued to have barbeques. People continued to shoot fireworks. Life went on even while our neighbors were suffering.
This does not mean that those neighbors did not care. We are so close that we all know someone who knows someone who was directly affected. Some of us even know someone. I am sure that those people who celebrated already did something. Our church made flood buckets. We took a collection. We are organizing other ways to help. It takes time. Those who have dealt with natural disasters in the past know that the clean up and restoration will take weeks, months, and years. While the lives of those directly impacted have at a standstill, we need to continue to live. This doesn’t mean that we forget or ignore, but that we pray and support as we can until it is our chance to step in to help.
Solomon wrote, “For everything there is a season...” It is hard to go on living when others are suffering, especially when they are so close to home, but we are reminded by this text that there is a season to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. We can continue to celebrate even while our hearts are moved to compassion. Suffering often lasts a long time, and there will be plenty of time to be a helper in whatever way is possible in this season for our neighbors, whether they are right around the corner or on the other side of the world. In the meantime, let us go on living in hope and peace, with grace and mercy, with prayer and compassion.
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