TAKE DOWN THE WALLS!

By Helen Jesze, 14^th August 2020

“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men…”

1 Thessalonians 3:12 King James Bible

During lockdown and the season that the world has been in since March 2020, relationships have come to the forefront, perhaps like never before. For some individuals and families, this has been a positive time, when they have drawn closer together, had time to play with the children, talk, do jobs in the house, recover from a time of stress and the ‘rat-race’ of daily life, and do many positive things. Many Christians have said they have drawn closer to the Lord during the pandemic.

However, a family having to stay together all the time, some in a flat or apartment with not even a garden or a balcony to escape to, some facing the fear of COVID-19 or being laid off their job, losing the business they have worked so hard to build up, children not going to school, not being able to see loved ones and friends or go to be with a family member at their death – these are challenges which have shown many people the strengths and weaknesses in their relationships, and they have been brought face to face with their vulnerability.

Others have been home alone with hardly ever seeing a friendly face, and their sense of isolation has been hard. They long to hug the grandchildren, and miss visitors if they are in a Care Home, for there the time seems to drag by even more slowly. There has also been an increased number of suicides and suicide attempts, domestic violence, sexual abuse, children calling on special Helplines having no-one else with whom they can speak and talk to about their fears.

It is one thing to be able to interact and live with other people like your family or people you love, but also being able to spend time away at work or have some “me-time”. But if we are constantly with the same individuals, old resentments and hurts can come to the surface and cause anger, hurt and disappointment, driving a wedge between people who love each other.

I once saw a slide-show depicting a woman who had emotionally built a wall around herself. Every day she piled more stones on and the wall eventually became so high that she could not look over. At first she loved the quiet and security; there was nobody to bother her and say things she did not want to hear, but soon she got bored, depressed and lonely, sitting there alone.

One day someone threw a flower over the top of her wall and it fell into her lap. It was beautiful, colourful, and fresh and gave off a sweet scent. The next day another flower was thrown in, and each day following. The ice around the lady’s heart began to thaw, then one day, she put her hand through a chink in the wall, and someone came and grasped it! How good to feel another human being, to feel the touch of a loving hand! She longed to look at a smiling face, hear a friendly voice, so she called, “Help me get out of here! Let me out!”

Someone did come, and took her little house apart. Only then did she see that each stone had a name – Bitterness, Jealousy, Unforgiveness, Envy, Laziness, Discouragement, and one really big stone at the door had Pride written in big letters. “Are you willing to give up all these ‘stones’ which have imprisoned you so long?” her rescuer asked. Then she saw He had nail-prints in His hands and feet; the kindest eyes gazed down into hers, and a strong arm lifted her up and out. “O, yes, Lord, I am willing! Cleanse me from every sin! I will not shut myself off again, but with your help I will learn to build relationships…”

Have you built a wall around yourself and shut people out, physically, mentally, spiritually or emotionally? Does it seem as if your ‘Love-tank’ is empty, that you’ve nothing more to give? Some people are like hedgehogs. If you get too near them, they curl up into a ball and put out their prickles! I want to encourage you today to ask that Helper to come and help you to take down your walls. Examine the names on the ‘stones ‘ and see what has caused this great barrier to come between you and God and others, and ask the One with the nail- prints, our Lord Jesus Christ, to cleanse and set you free!

Then begin to learn to build relationships – one brick on top of another, little by little, with Agape Love cementing this desirable, wonderful structure! It will not be immediate but takes patience and Time, and we may sometimes be disappointed and discouraged. You might say, I have been rejected and that has made me draw back from people. Yes, LOVE is a RISK and a challenge, but the rewards are great! The GREATEST LOVER was God Himself and he knew that He was taking a risk when He offered us His love, but He did it when we were still His enemies, always reaching out, always extending His arms, always keeping the door open. So with His help, let this Bible verse become our motto, and the joy of the Lord will begin to fill our hearts in a new way!