Not Breaking the Bruised Reeds

I was deeply struck by this thought from Henri Nouwen that arrived in my inbox today. Partly because I've talked often with a dear friend about the passage in scripture that says "A bruised reed he will not break" but also because, through years of depression, and again through this last year when life has been painful and messy, I've often been dismissed out of hand.

I know what it is to be "the depressed one" or the "broken one" whom everyone assumes has nothing to contribute to the world. The one whom God has forgotten, who needs to be made whole before she can be part of community again.

It reminded me too, to be grateful for those people who have seen beyond the woundedness and modelled the compassionate life and true community for me. People like James, and Shelley, my brother T and his girlfriend, and my roommates. So, today, I'm thanking them, and reminding myself to continue to see beyond the brokenness and look for the beauty in others.

Not Breaking the Bruised Reeds

Some of us tend to do away with things that are slightly damaged. Instead of repairing them we say: "Well, I don't have time to fix it, I might as well throw it in the garbage can and buy a new one." Often we also treat people this way. We say: "Well, he has a problem with drinking; well, she is quite depressed; well, they have mismanaged their business...we'd better not take the risk of working with them." When we dismiss people out of hand because of their apparent woundedness, we stunt their lives by ignoring their gifts, which are often buried in their wounds.

We all are bruised reeds, whether our bruises are visible or not. The compassionate life is the life in which we believe that strength is hidden in weakness and that true community is a fellowship of the weak.