What can anyone say to a person who is hurting? The message of Christianity is: God loves you. God doesn’t reject anyone, even tax collectors and “sinners.” That is how each of us was able to become part of His family. He simply loves us and, if we believe in Him, will break through any agony we are experiencing.
One day a beautiful, but very troubled, little girl came through the door of a Day Nursery. From the very beginning, the nursery worker became captivated by this child who had so little and needed so much. The little four-year-old was suffering from decisions others had made. She was born in prison after her mom had used marijuana, crack and cocaine her entire pregnancy.
The little girl was nonverbal and had very little control over her emotions or her behavior. It was clear that the girl’s progress would be a mighty battle. Whenever somebody approached her, she became violent for long periods of time and ended up in a fetal position on the floor. The nursery worker found herself praying for the tormented little girl day in and day out.
As months rolled on, a relationship developed between the woman and the child whose mother was unable to care for her. The woman and the little girl worked through the challenges they faced, sometimes taking one step forward and four steps back. Daily, the worker would sit in the big rocking chair in the Day Nursery office, holding the child and rocking back and forth. During those rocking sessions the compassionate attendant would sing “Jesus Loves Me.” The four-year-old always settled down and became very still at the melody. Though she never spoke, peace seemed to fill her face as she listened to the song.
One day after a very long battle the woman held her special little girl to again calm her fears and pain. In silence they rocked back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. Then the girl looked up and spoke for the first time ever. She said, “Sing to me about that Man who loves me.”
All of us have suffered from life. All of us have been misunderstood and, probably, suffered seriously from what life has dealt us. The good news is that there is a Man who loves us. His name is Jesus and He not only welcomes us and loves us but He heals all our wounds.
