July 13
Psalms 88:8
Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.
Fritz had read the horrible stories about AIDS, but never gave it much thought. Now his doctor was telling him that he had the disease. Fritz didn't want to die, especially all alone, but he knew that many of his friends would make themselves scarce as soon as they found out what he had. He had become a leper, an outcast, with nowhere to turn. Facing death was only a part of it. Facing life would be even harder.
We do terrible things to some people in our society. People who suffer greatly need our compassion and love, but instead they receive our judgment and condemnation. Christ does not ask us to accept sin, or the results of sin, but He commands us to love the one who sins. One thing we may never do is cast aside another of God's children. We do not have that right. The Lord loves all His children, and we need to learn to love all our sisters and brothers. No one need ever be alone, if we will extend our hands in love to the sick, the lonely, the poor.
Prayer: My God, there are so many suffering people in this world. Lead me to where they are, that I might give them something of myself, that together we may become the family You made us to be. Amen.
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