The boy from Nain

Luke 7:11-17

        A positive attitude will take you a long way in life. Life is very much how we respond to it because bad things and problems in life arise no matter who you are. It doesn't matter whether you are wealthy or poor. It doesn't matter if you are faithful, agnostic or an atheist. Stuff does ( and will ) happen. 

         In today's passage Jesus comes upon a widow whose only son has died. Jesus is filled with compassion and brings the young man back to life. Jesus has the power to do that.

         How do we respond when we come across a story or perhaps even a friend who has had some horrible or sad thing befall them? Surely we do not have the power over life do we? If we respond to each other in a compassionate way, we really do offer life to the recipient.  We can simply say "oh, how sad" and move on our way. Alternatively we can offer some love and consolation, a loving hand or anything that we are capable of helping with. This will not bring a loved one back to life if they have died. This will not cure a cancer. This will not bring back a cheating spouse (like you would want them!). What compassion and love does, is to bring some love back into the life of the person bracing through their personal storm.

          If much of life is how we respond to things that happen to us, the rest of life is how we respond to others. We have the power to give life and love. It isn't the power that Jesus had over life and death but it a hint of his loving, life giving power. We are after all, made in his image are we not?

          So rather than say, poor boy, his parents kicked him out because he 'came out', take some positive steps if only to support an organization that helps troubled youth in the same situation.  Be Christ to others in our love and compassion.

Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, rise!’ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen among us!’ and ‘God has looked favourably on his people!’ This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.