"Chronic"

Dad called those cattle chronic,

‘Cause we couldn’t get ‘em well,

Though we shot ‘em full of medicine,

You could finally tell,

That they would get no better,

But sicker and go down,

And hauled off in the renderin’ truck,

When it came around.

I was just a kid back then,

Those cattle broke my heart,

So many that we tried to save,

I no doubt did my part.

I’ve often thought about it,

With folks we try to save,

Before they get too far gone,

And closer to the grave.

I don’t mean sick in body,

But wounded in their souls,

Trapped in their addictions,

So hard to be made whole.

Question are they ready,

To really make a change,

To do the things it always takes,

And not be so deranged.

Or are they more like chronics,

Who’ll take all that you give,

But never do get better,

Or find the way to live.

We must love everybody,

But some we cannot aid,

We have to see the boundary,

Or those old burdens laid,

Will do for them no favors,

But enable all that’s wrong,

We can delay their healing,

If we try to help too long.

God can give us wisdom,

For every chronic soul,

Help those who are needy,

And let the others roll.

“…warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.” (1 Thess. 5:14, NLT)

Being patient with everyone does not mean appeasing them. Encouraging them does not mean we indulge them. Taking tender care does not mean we enable bad behavior. Love requires us to be truthful, and at times. confrontational. Our client said he was not on drugs, other than marijuana. But when it came time to be tested he admitted he was main-lining harder drugs. To the end he lied about it. Sometimes people do this without even thinking about it. Lies have become such a habit they are actually unaware that they have not told the truth. When someone becomes that self-deceived it is challenging to reason with them. Remember, there are some people whom we simply cannot help. They will show us if we can.

Lord, help us help everyone we can and leave the rest in Your hands, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bruce Green, brucegreeneart.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Bruce, and God bless you.