NOT BREAKING THE BRUISED REED.
"Some of us tend to do away with things that are slightly damaged.Instead of repairing them we say: " Well,I don't have time to fix it, I might as well throw it in the rubbish bin and buy a new one." Often we also treat people this way. We say: " Well he has a problem with drinking; well,she is quite depressed; well, they have mismanaged their business...we'd better not take the risk of getting involved with them." When we dismiss people out of hand because of their apparent woundedness, we stunt their lives by ignoring their gifts, which are often buried in their wounds.
We are all bruised reeds, whether our bruises are visible or not. The compassionate life is the life in which we believe that stength is hidden in weakness and that true community is a fellowship of the weak.
HENRI NOUWEN.
Most of my working life has been spent working with "bruised reeds". I worked with children who were mentally handicapped and then with children who were emotionally disturbed.I had a great love for the children I worked with.
Feeling God calling me to move into counselling as a career and being encouraged to do so by some freinds and my Pastor I went and did Post Graduate studies and chose to work with men who were drug and alcohol dependent and who had just been released from prison.Again I loved my work and I felt very strongly that if I did nothing else but treat these men with dignity and respect then I had done much.
My last position was working with people who struggled with the same sex attraction and who were trying to be surrendered followers of Jesus. This was a truly satisfyinng area of counselling.
As I look at my own areas of woundedness today , I ask you "What is yours?' Can you bring it to the Light and let Jesus help in the restoration of the wounded parts in your life?
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 42:3 and Matthew 12:20 that " a bruised reed He will not break." Take Him at His word and let Him bring healing.
We are all bruised reeds, whether our bruises are visible or not. The compassionate life is the life in which we believe that stength is hidden in weakness and that true community is a fellowship of the weak.
HENRI NOUWEN.
Most of my working life has been spent working with "bruised reeds". I worked with children who were mentally handicapped and then with children who were emotionally disturbed.I had a great love for the children I worked with.
Feeling God calling me to move into counselling as a career and being encouraged to do so by some freinds and my Pastor I went and did Post Graduate studies and chose to work with men who were drug and alcohol dependent and who had just been released from prison.Again I loved my work and I felt very strongly that if I did nothing else but treat these men with dignity and respect then I had done much.
My last position was working with people who struggled with the same sex attraction and who were trying to be surrendered followers of Jesus. This was a truly satisfyinng area of counselling.
As I look at my own areas of woundedness today , I ask you "What is yours?' Can you bring it to the Light and let Jesus help in the restoration of the wounded parts in your life?
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 42:3 and Matthew 12:20 that " a bruised reed He will not break." Take Him at His word and let Him bring healing.
posted by gail @ 8/24/2006 12:33:00 PM
20 Comments:
At 11:44 PM,
Masked Rabbit said…
I am truly a bruised reed and this post was touching. Henri has many wise sayings.
Thanks for sharing once again
At 3:22 AM,
AngelConradie said…
fabulous post gail!
all too often i feel so sorry for myself and what i'm "going through" i don't notice the other bruised reeds around me and then i get annoyed with them for complaining all the time... and then i hear myself doing the same thing!
lord- you know where my bruises are- heal me, hold me and help me to help other bruised reeds who need some support on earth! amen
At 4:42 PM,
Brigitte said…
Wonderful Blue. Thanks for reminding me that I too have bruises and for reminding me to be gentle to all around me, so as not to break a possibly bruised reed whos bruises I cannot see...
At 7:00 PM,
gail said…
Mark, Keep pressing in for that healing.
Bunnygirl, praying for you.
Angel, you have been through a lot. God will use that to help other bruised reds.
Spookie, glad that you will be on the lookout for other bruised reeds. Gentleness is indeed needed.
At 10:25 AM,
Mrs. D said…
Gail,
What a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing this. The people whom you have served in all of your minsistry endeavors are blessed to have had you in their lives.
God Bless You!
His,
Jennifer
At 12:00 PM,
Rob Greene said…
will do Gail... see y'all at Passion maybe! :)
=rg=
At 11:06 PM,
Rob Greene said…
Hey Gail... I'll be going as a leader in our student/college ministry. And I will definitely have tons of cds with me all week! :)
In the meantime, you might look me up on iTunes... I think the Australian store may already have both cd's ready for download! It'd be great to know of people in Australia that are downloading the songs! :)
=rg=
At 3:38 PM,
Kimmer said…
Hi Gail,
great post! I'll have to come back and comment more on it when it is not thundering and lightning overhead as it is right now! we are having another one of those storms you think you might like! I do like this post of yours though so I keep right on typing, dont I? I like the acknowledgement that we are all bruised reeds and I love those references you posted that a bruised reed He will not break; very good to think on.
I told you a while back I'd post my notes from the Beth Moore conference, I finally had time to go back through them and did just finally post them - the theme is on trusting God. ok I better go as it is raining and thundering quite loudly now.
Blessings~
Kimmer :)
At 9:33 PM,
gail said…
Thanks Jennifer and Kimmer. you two should meet each other!
Hi Rob and Hoodie,hope to see you both in Atlanta.We are so looking forward to it but hope that that the time doesnt go too quickly. It's good to have somthing great to look forward to.
At 2:56 AM,
Jacoline said…
Hi Gail! Thank you so much for your message on my blog:-) I'll definitely pray for your son! I don't know the exact situation, but what I can tell you is that I left church for a while too, and still..I find it hard to find the right church without moving to another country..
I'm not going to Passion (UNFORTUNATELY!) I can't afford going to Atlanta, I wish I could go, but hotels are too expensive...I'm planning on going in 2008!! But I'm very excited that you and your son can go!!I'm thinking of you! Much Love, Jacky
At 4:30 PM,
Kimmer said…
Hey Gail-
thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you liked them, I'm just a lil note taker though....
She had some good teaching that weekend
Hey you know you turned me on to that Shane & Shane concert that was here the other night; you asked what they sang... you can check them out at www.shaneandshane.com and at the bottom use the << or >> to roll thru the songs if you want to give them a listen
blessings freind~
Kimmer :)
At 8:53 PM,
zephaniah3:17 said…
Good morning Gail! So sorry I've been missing in action. Eamon told me he came over to your blog to leave you a message, but that he had to be a member of blogger to do that. So I'm responding for him...he was more than thrilled that you left him such an encouraging note. And I appreciate it as well.
I've been on a self-imposed internet fast for the past week or ten days while I finished up editing a book for a client. The internet is my #1 distraction/procrastination tool when I'm on deadline!
But now I'm back online and making amends to everyone whose emails & blog postings have gone unread!
I do have an email from you that I'll be answering, as well.
I've loved all your posts on your blog, Gail, but I found this one the most convicting of all. Today I will seek to honor and glorify my Father by treating his beloved bruised reeds with the grace and holy respect they deserve.
I'm glad to be back among the blogettes!
Love,
Lisa
At 10:34 PM,
Carolanne said…
Hi Gail,
I just thought I'd let you know that I am here. I have enjoyed reading what you have posted and can relate to a lot of it.
I work with bruised reeds and even have some of my own invisible wounds.
At 11:22 PM,
Diane Viere said…
Great post! H. Norman Wright says "the best healers are those who have been bruised." When we bring glory into our pain....it is not for loss...it is for complete and ongoing VICTORY!
Diane
At 2:06 PM,
Bill Williams said…
Just wanted to stop by and say hello. Glad to have your presence at the Spiritual Oasis.
I really enjoyed the brief time I've had to explore your site. Lord willing, I'll be back.
This is one of the finest things I've read all week:
***We are all bruised reeds, whether our bruises are visible or not. The compassionate life is the life in which we believe that stength is hidden in weakness and that true community is a fellowship of the weak.***
May I have your permission to use it in an up-coming post on kingdom living? I'd like to link back to your site also.
Blessings to you,
-bill
At 5:53 AM,
John Smulo said…
Hi Gail,
Great post. I believe all of us our bruised reeds to a greater or less extent. I'm a bruised reed serving bruised reeds.
Thansk again for stopping by my blog recently.
At 11:10 AM,
Mrs. D said…
Hi ya Gail!
Just wanted to stop by and say hi. Thinking about you!
His,
Jennifer
At 11:41 PM,
Brigitte said…
Hello Gail!!! Just popping in to say I am thinking of you and missing you! Love you madly - BYE!!
At 1:42 PM,
gail said…
Sorry to everyone that I haven't replied to recently. I really don't know what I have done with my time but it has flown. Please take this as a thank you for visiting my blog.
Spookie, to you special love as for some reason I can't post on your blog.I'll need to talk to you here. I loved your Third Day song. I have that CD
Maybe I'll have time to put up a new post this weekend. Keep watching!!!
At 3:52 PM,
Brigitte said…
Gail, I got your e-mail! And for some reason I canot comment on a few othe blogs either...?? I don't quite know what is happening or why. But I have also been SO busy lately and don't have much time to post or comment. So I will chat here too until blogger gets it's act together again.
{{BIG HUG}}
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