Christian Living

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How do you respond when others are hurting?

By Dan Langerock


As you may have noticed, people have changed in their responses to others’ pain and suffering. Years ago, when someone was in need, help would be given freely. However, now is a different story. Because of fear of getting involved, consequences, apathy among others, people are not as likely to help in an emergency.

Of course, there are certain tragedies that spark the American spirit to help such as 9/11, when fires strike a large area, etc. But it is getting harder to get a positive response from the population due to many factors. You can see the difference in the lack of courtesy when people are driving to give one example. How many times have you been cut off in a parking lot for the space you wanted, when before this would not have happened?

When you see an accident, are you apt to stop and help or relegate it to "the professionals" or someone else? Has your attitude changed in this regard over the years?
What stirs you to action nowadays? Something affecting yourself or family? The problem is that if we neglect to help, we may find ourselves in that situation ourselves with no one to care about our plight. Here is a poem I wrote that illustrates this point:
Silence is Golden

By Dan Langerock


Silence is golden,

But does not speak out,

Against ills of our age

That plague us without.




Silence is golden,

But does not relieve

The sick and the suffering—

Those in dire need.




Silence is golden,

But please don’t complain,

When at your doorstep

There is suffering and pain.




Because you never helped out

When there was a chance,

Now the tables have turned,

And it is your circumstance.


Don’t let the selfishness of others keep you from helping when needed. Because it is not convenient to help, should not deter you from offering it; because if you allow this attitude to persist you will become more and more hard to the problems of those around you. Take action rather than being a "couch potato" when people are in need. Allow your heart to ache for the needs around you and you will be a better person because of it. Life has a way of returning to us what we give or refuse to offer. The question is, which do you want returned to your doorstep when trouble comes—help or apathy? The choice is yours, while you still have time to make it.


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