Take Notice

It’s Thursday and thus it is blog day and because I have actually had opportunities to listen to music this week, it’s another blog inspired by a song!

Well not only by a song, but the song cemented this idea in my head as the one to post today.

Last week I challenged you all to find ways to purposely be thankful every day this month. I have been doing that, and if you follow me on Facebook, you have read about my husband, job, son, heated car seats and more. The interesting thing is, when you start looking for things to be thankful for throughout your day (rather than just picking something random from the top of your head), you really become aware of just how much you have to be thankful for, and you end up having to choose which of those to post each day.

Add to that a conversation in staff meeting this week and my weekly book discussion with my friend Tina, and my brain starts going.

I have a family and close friends for who I am so thankful. And I have many opportunities that come and that I make to spend time with them. I keep an eye out for them, and their well-being, and they are keeping an eye out for me.

But not everyone has that. In fact, there are people all around us that are just wishing they would be noticed by someone, anyone. And this time of year exacerbates their loneliness. Most of us have places to go and people to see during the holidays and we get so caught up in that, we don’t even think about the people who don’t. And if we do think about them, we push down our guilt about not doing anything for or with them as we go on to the next party or gathering. At some point, that has to stop. At some point we have to start taking notice.

After all, we have been told that we are supposed to care for “the least of these.”

The Sheep and the Goats – From Matthew 25

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

I always cringe when I read this passage of scripture. It is just so harsh. And yet, we need to be reminded of the importance of caring for others. Especially at the holidays, but not only then.

So, now, the question isn’t will you do it, but HOW will you do it? (And, BTW, I have to answer that question to. It’s not just for you. :))

Take a listen to the song below. It is from one of my favorite bands, and has some of the most heart-piercing lyrics of any song I have heard. It will get you thinking, I promise!

(verse 1)
I’ve got a story now
One that you never will hear
I’ve got a light to shine
That you can’t see over there

But you don’t want to know
You keep on passing me by
And your true colors show
I see that look in your eye

(pre-chorus)
I am me, I am you
I am many known by few
Seldom seen, seldom cared
Seldom mentioned in your prayers

Outfit outdated
Birthday never celebrated
I’m the one that you ignore
I’m the least and I’m the poor

(chorus)
Oh what a shame,
Standing in the shadows
Cause I don’t have a name
But you can’t see we’re all the same
Someone shine the light on my way (yeah)

Wasn’t a choice
Standing in the shadows
Cause I don’t have a voice
But you can’t hear above the noise
Someone shine the light on my way (yeah)

(verse 2)
Now to the average man,
You may just think of me less
And to the richest man,
A tax deduction at best

And to the government
I’m just a check on the first
Or just a soul to save,
project for the local church

(pre-chorus)
I am me, I am you
I am many known by few
I’m the one that’s calling out
Can anybody hear me now?

Do you care who I am?
Will you ever understand?
I’m the one that you ignore
I’m the least and I’m the poor

(bridge)
See I’m the nameless
Yeah, I’m the loveless
And I’m the voiceless, fatherless and motherless

I’m the defenseless
Helpless and the hopeless
I am every one of us (I am every one of us)…
credits
from This Moment – EP, released 18 May 2010
Produced by Stephen Leiweke & Jorge Casas

Russ Mohr: vocals
Luke DeJaynes: drums, programming
Mark DeJaynes: bass
Dustin Burggraaf: keyboards, programming
Joe McGill: guitars