I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “hurt folks hurt other folks.” I was at church the first time I heard the phrase. It was more than a few years ago and the preacher was talking about how we treat other people. His summation was that hurt folks damage other folks. Further, our goal, as Christians, is to allow God to heal us when we’ve been hurt to lessen the chance that in our own hurt, we hurt others.
It was a profound statement to me that explained much about some of the events of my life. And, maybe it’s profound, or at least important for you too? Let’s have a look at it.
First, let’s look at the initial victim, if you will. Hurt folks. People are hurting. Now, yesterday in Sunday School, we talked about having compassion. This is an area where compassion has to be applied. We all see when someone is “acting out” but often times we don’t know why. If we take the time to peel back a layer, we may see that the reason that person is the way that they are, is because at some point along their journey they have been hurt.
And usually, this hurt is deep. It’s not a knick or a scratch or something that easily heals. Instead, it’s a deep wound that has not been treated. And, well, we know what happens when deep wounds aren’t treated. Nothing good.
Untreated, uncared for and/or unmanaged wounds infect other parts of the body. The infection spreads instead of being contained. We can imagine what this does to the physical body, but have we ever thought what this may do to the spirit-man? The manifestation is a repeat offense. Hurt is repeated and spread to those who come in contact with the one that has been hurt, in the area where they have been hurt.
I have a friend who has been really hurt by what feels to me like a lifetime of tragic events. And, before this person knew the Lord, what they knew to do was to make sure that they always won - they wanted to make sure that now that they are older and better able to control their circumstances, that nobody else ever hurt them again. They made sure that they were the winner in arguments, decisions or whatever... and it did not matter to them if someone else could or would get hurt in the process. Their main goal was to do whatever it took to ensure that they came out ahead so that they wouldn’t be hurt, no matter the situation.
My friend’s BC (before Christ) condition was focused on self-protection, at the expense of others. Hurt folks, hurt other folks. And this wasn’t healthy for them, as you might imagine.
So, how does this apply to you? Well, be on the lookout for hurt folks and show compasssion towards them. You never know when a kind word is the right salve for the situation. You never know when a warm smile will be balm and medicine that will promote healing. Don’t help the hurt person pick the scab of their wound. Instead, be the holy ointment that will help and not hurt.
May we all learn to help each other and not hurt each other and thereby stop the cycle of hurt folks, hurting other folks.
Will you pray with me?
Father God, we come to You now trusting that You see all and know all. You know all about our hurts and pains. Those wounds that we don’t speak of any longer, You know they are still there; some lingering, some cancerous. But now, we want to clean it up and out of us so that we can reflect Your glory completely. Father, we ask for Your healing. Make us complete in You. Help us to demonstrate and manifest Your kindness towards others. Help us conduct our lives in a way that pleases You. Help us treat everyone we come into contact with as Your special creations. We thank you now for the change in us, for it’s in the name of Your Son Jesus, that we do ask and pray, Amen.
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