Behind The Scenes (Part Two)

Devotional for Saturday, March 20th, 2010 (I will be in Springfield, MO for a Junior Bible Quiz district meet thing whatever on the 19-20th) for the facebook group The New Breed For The Cause (A Devotional Group) < you should be really cool and join it... because the devotionals from Jon, Tina, Me, Rachel, Alice, Josh, and Chris are pretty good.

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(I wasn't planning on this being a two part writting, but it is now. so enjoy.)

It's hard to play this song by Francesca Battistelli without thinking about one certain person... who, on Monday, said she's going through suicidal thoughts and is depressed and it doesn't seem to be helping her at all that she's a senior in high school.

when she said this, my heart started to brake for her. and the questions of "What could ever drive someone to such a painful place, to be so blinded from the truth, by lies, that the only conclusion to this madness is self murder?" that's crazy! We need to start seeing people the way Jesus sees them. Before it's too late.

When she said she's been like all suicidal, I was shocked... I never thought that she would be suicidal and hate the world. And what did I say? "Don't kill your self." That's it. That's all I said.

What did I think I should've said? 'People do love you whether you believe it or not. I love you and I don't know you. and killing your self will only hurt those who love you.. even those who don't know you will be hurt by it. it affects everyone in some sort of way. So, please, don't. I'll pray for you whether you want me to or not.' My God, why didn't I say that!? stupid of me to dismiss that as 'only saying that will only hurt her and make her mad at you...' Lies.

She sounded suicidal by her tone of her voice and you could see pain in her eyes and hear it through her tone of voice.

You may think I'm just fine
How could anything
Ever be out of line?
I take my timeTo set the stage
To make sure everything
Is all in place

That's the problem, I thought she was just fine... she acted like everything was going okay. but everyone, even me, takes their time making sure, if they're a lady, their make-up isn't messed up, and it doesn't look like they ever sheded one tear that day... and we just paint those pretty fake smiles on and laughs...and everyone is fooled and at the end of the day we wonder, "How come no one saw my pain? why did they add to it instead of making me feel loved and like I'm not just another face in this world?" but no one that I've met seems to see through that like Jesus does.

1 Samuel 16:7 - "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (NIV)

Things aren't always what they seem
You're only seeing part of me
There's more than you could ever knowBehind the scenes

I'm incomplete and I'm undone
But I suppose like everyone
There's so much more that's going on
Behind the scenes

It's stupid judging people when we have NO idea what they go through, what's life like at home? What happens behind closed doors? Alot happens behind the scenes... and if we really start to look at people the way Jesus does, we'd do alot more than what we're doing right now.

What about those people you've walked by today? Did you ever think that you added to their pain by walking by and not seeing it? What happens when they go home? Does their dad beat them and curse at them and lock them up because of something dumb that that person had little to nothing to do with? But in a fit a rage, they get attacked just because they walked in the door to their home?

This is NOT the definiton of home for ANYONE... Christian or not.

Heaven is what comes to mind to the word 'home.'

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4

I've heard people say that they want the pain to just go away, but it's not that easy here. I mean, Jesus did say we'll have trouble, but to take heart that he's overcome the world. (John 16:33) I'm guessing that means that there's nothing too big that he can't handle. After all, nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

This may be random, and out of line, but, as I was writing this, I found a song on Youtube. it's called The Last Night by Skillet. and I'll post it here, on my blog.

We don't know what happens behind closed doors with people when they go home and who do we think we are to assume everything is a-ok? STUPID...

This is the last night you'll spend alone
Look me in the eyes so I know you know
I'm everywhere you want me to be
The last night you'll spend alone
I'll wrap you in my arms and
I won't let goI'm everything you need me to be
I won't let you say goodbye
And I'll be your reason why

Remember that question that I asked in part one of this? Don't forget it. Treat people like they matter, like they stand out and they're not just another person in the crowd... They're not just another person, they each have a story to tell, their story is THEIR story... it's unique. They're unique, God made them, how could they not be unique?!


What will YOU do to change someones story for the better of things? Will you share Jesus with them? Will you just SMILE? < that changes moods. (: Will you just go sit with that kid who's sitting alone at a table and just strike up a conversation and ask, really ask them, be really interested in what they have to say when you ask "Has anyone ever asked how you're really doing?" etc.

What will you do?


- Katelyn