Keepers
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The story of Joyce Carol Vincent inspired the 2011 film, “Dreams of a life,” the music album “Hand. Cannot. Erase,” the music band “Miss Vincent” with first single titled “No One Knew,” and a poem by poet Joel Sadler-Puckering! She was a British woman whose death went unnoticed for more than two years as her corpse lay undiscovered in her North London bed-sitting room!
While Vincent seems to have posthumously become a celebrity, her life was full of misery: Her mother died when she was just eleven years old, she had a strained relationship with her emotionally distant father (who didn’t even know it she had died!); she left school at age 16 with no qualifications, and held many menial jobs. She detached herself from the rest of the family without any incident. Prior to her death, she had quit her job, moved into a shelter for victims of domestic abuse, and cut off contact with nearly all people that knew her. She had a history of asthma and peptic ulcer, and the flat she died in was used to house victims of domestic abuse. Vincent was definitely in serious crisis, but no one seemed to have noticed.
In a crisis counseling course recently, I learnt that one of the ways people react to crisis is by isolating themselves. But often, when people isolate or keep to themselves, we interpreted the action in different ways. We often accuse them of being antisocial, or being bluffs! We could be hurting people we care about by making such assumptions.
When people deviate from their normal routines and usual selves, they could be in serious trouble; and we need to help them through the trouble. Tragically, most of them do not ask for help, and most do not even know they need help! But in crisis counseling, we are told that we have the right to intervene when we see someone in crisis. This right is supported by the fact that it will affect us emotionally if the person hurts him or herself, and we would feel terrible for not intervening when we could. We have to be one another’s keeper.
In Matthew 25, Jesus when talking about the final judgment said,
“Then the King will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
“And the King will say,
‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
(Matthew 25:34-40 NLT)
So, it is not just about going to church, and flaunting our faith and piety. Jesus requires more from us, that we be keepers of one another.
Who have you not seen in a while? Who have you not heard of for some time? Who has suddenly disappeared from his or her usual chatter on social media? Who appears to have deviated from the normal routines, or usual selves and social behaviours? Please reach out and look for them. Let us be one another’s keeper.
Paul called this “fulfilling the law of Christ,” in his letter to the Galatians.
MEMORY VERSE
“I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”
(Matthew 25:40)
QUESTIONS
Has anyone stopped being his or her usual self, or stopped following his or her usual routines?
Have you looked out for them? Do you know they could be in very serious crisis?
PRAYER TIP
Father please guide us to easily
identify people in crisis; and
help us be one another’s keeper.
CREDITS
WIKIPEDIA, Joyce Vincent, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Vincent
URGENT CALL
Every soul is valuable to God, far more than the entire world! But by nature, we are all sinful, and alienated from God, and we ultimately face his wrath!
God in His mercy and love made a way for us to remedy this. He gives us a chance to reverse this downward spiral to destruction, join His family, be part of His household, and become His children.
The first step to becoming a member of God’s household is for us to be saved.
Salvation comes through accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior.
It is a very personal decision. No one can make that decision for you.
If you make that decision today, there will be great singing and rejoicing in heaven; because one new member has joined the family and household of God! A soul, much, much more valuable than the world, has been saved from destruction!
Do you want to make that decision today?
Please visit “The Believer’s Prayer”
for guidance if you want
to make that decision.
We will be happy to hear from you through the contact information on that page, or the ones at the top of this page. Don’t delay. Make this very personal decision today!
God richly bless you
SPECIAL GRATITUDE
Thank you for visiting the Testimony Devotional Website.
We would not have gotten here without your prayers, goodwill and overall support. We are grateful, and humbled.
We thank God for counting us worthy to share in His Great Commission; and we thank you for sticking with us through this journey.
God richly bless you.
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