How Jesus Deals with Human Fragileness…

A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench. (Isaiah 42:3, ESV)

In the old way of “people-helping” and school of thought—which was no help at all—it was believed the best approach was to bring a person down to size, point out all the ways they were going wrong, all the ways they were messing up, afterward point out the good things we saw in them, build them back up. Of course, that did not see much success or have outstanding results. Instead of saying “You had me at hello,” It might be said, ‘You lost me at hello!” According to what we read in Jeremiah 31:31-34, God spoke through the prophet that no longer would anyone need to point out someone’s sins or mistakes because they would already know how they were messing up and gotten off track. No longer would there be a need to convict them because they would have already accomplished that in their own heart and mind. We can be sure, whenever anyone has taken a dark path and wrong turn, they already know they left the right way and how they got where they are.

Isaiah confirms that the Savior God was sending would not use the old method of people-helping or psychology. He was not coming to tear down, tear apart, break or wound further, but he was coming to build up, to rebuild, to breathe life into the one that was gasping for air; he would pull the one drowning from the waters, and steady the one that was losing strength on their journey.

It’s a comforting word we receive from God through Isaiah. How many times in life we find ourselves in need of the gentleness of Christ. Beating ourselves up, feeling broken, useless, hopeless on our journey dotted with mistake after mistake, too many wrong turns and decisions to count. How refreshing to learn Jesus has come for the likes of us, the breaking and nearly out of breath. Let’s Pray,

Dear Jesus, thank you for your gentle care of hurting, breaking and near-lifeless souls. You could break us and snuff the life out of us, but you choose to straighten us up and breathe new life into us. Amen                

Questions and Thoughts for Examination and Soul-Tending:    

Have you ever found yourself in the place where you needed or benefited from the way Jesus came: as a gentle Restorer? How will you incorporate today’s message into your plan of self and soul-care?