“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him.”
Psalm 103:10-11 (NIV)
Not treating us as our sin deserves is a definition of mercy. God’s promises of forgiveness and healing have no conditions attached to it. He heals freely, according to the faith of a mustard seed, without conditions. How many times did Jesus tell someone?, “Go, your faith has healed you.”
There is only one single reason for the goodness God shows to all of mankind-Love and mercy. When we think about it, His love and mercy is what moved a two ton stone from the tomb which Jesus arose out of. His love and mercy empties hospital beds, prison cells, and mental institutions. Jesus cast out demons, because He loved the real person within, seeing with eyes of mercy. He healed those who suffered long term illnesses, 12 years of hemorrhaging, and 38 years of paralysis, which were the two examples given in scripture.
If we are honest with ourselves, some people display behaviors that make them difficult to love. We’ve all known people who turn others into their enemies and then wonder why they are unloved. In reality, God loves those difficult people, even when we see them as unlovable.
After visiting the Nursing Facility and experiencing various personalities and types of mental illness among the residents, I sometimes find myself anxious to leave all the craziness behind. Each day brings a new drama among many unsound minds who live there.
There are some residents who will suddenly lash out verbally at others, with nothing to provoke it. A fight is started and then staff has to come and break it up. There is a constant instability of temperaments, mental states and emotions. No one is predictable, which is in itself, exhausting.
One older lady is a cleptomaniac. Last week she saw a resident sitting at a table, holding cash in her hand, and she snatched the money out of her hand and ran away down the hallway. Other residents shouted and chased her down, staff got involved and the money was returned. The lady who stole the money is at least eighty years old! It’s still unbelievable that a woman that old could run that fast.
I may never get used to observing these emotional storms, and I wonder how anyone could share the truth of a healing and forgiving God, in a language that these residents can understand.
Even though my son hardly speaks anymore, I believe he still knows who I am and my presence is still needed there for that reason, as well as for the few nice people who are lonely, but coherent enough to have conversations with.
While thinking about all that goes on there, I realized, if the devil can make an eighty year old steal money and run like she’s in a marathon, maybe the Holy Spirit can change hearts and make them run towards the love and mercy of God. It reminds me of a lesson I learned last week.
One day, a new resident was sitting in her wheelchair, at a table where I sat. She was talking on the phone with a relative and crying. She told her relative that everyone at the table she was sitting with, was harassing her. Neither I nor anyone else said anything to her, yet she was under the impression that “everyone” was harassing her. We glanced at each other, perplexed, and when she ended her phone call, I tried to think of something to say.
Before saying anything, I was trying to understand her mental status, since I didn’t know her at all. Then Shantel walked by, who is the most amazing nurse assistant at that facility. She glanced at the red eyed, tearful resident, and immediately asked, “Do you need a hug?”
The woman quickly nodded yes and Shantel hugged her.
I could see that whatever her issues were, Shantel’s hug definitely helped. I guess I was too busy trying to figure her strange behavior out, but a hug can bring more healing than analyzing does. Whether a person is in touch with reality or not, every human being needs to know they’re loved. Shantel’s hug brought healing to her, and revealed truth to me.
The world would be a better place if we all showed mercy to others, and chose words that can heal rather than hurt. Scripture says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. That’s one promise that desperately needs to be taken more seriously throughout the NH. (2 Timothy 1:7)
In one gospel story, the demoniac ran back and forth among the tombs in that area of the holy land 2,000 years ago. Everyone avoided that person as out of his mind and crazy.
Then came the young rabbi from Nazareth. He looked at him and saw the man within. In a gentle but authoritative voice, He commanded the demons to leave, and they left him. It’s easy to first see the demons in people, but Jesus saw people first, separate from their demons. He spoke and the man’s turmoil was conquered by God’s love. Jesus’ words were like one big healing hug. That’s the Jesus I’d like to come with me to the Nursing Home.
Lord, help us to show mercy towards the most difficult personalities we encounter. Give us a heart of love to see the person who is within, separate from their behavior. Amen
