Wounded For Another

“Are you willing to be wounded to help another be healed?”

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – February 10, 2021

This is my command: Love one another the way I [Jesus] loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. John 15:13, The Message

Wounds are not for the faint of heart. A few weeks ago I forgot to grab my work gloves before I moved some firewood. You guessed it—half way through my project my finger grazed the side of a sliver of wood barely protruding and like a sharp syringe made its way into my exposed flesh. The pain was sudden, then gone, but within minutes the violated skin puffed up red and began to pulsate with pain. I started to work through it, but I relented for pain needs attention. I stopped and found my daughter Rachel for assistance. Having done “splinter surgery” multiple times with her three children—it was no sweat to help dad. She dug and twisted the needle, and within a few minutes extracted the intruder. Most wounds are like mine—accidents, not on purpose.

Jesus, in His uncommon fashion, raises the bar beyond belief to what it means to love. It means for me to be willing to lay down my life for my friend—and on the way probably be wounded for my friend—just like Jesus was wounded on His way to the deadly cross. This other worldly sacrificial love is what wakes up a slumbering world to take notice. Who would die for a friend? Who would be wounded for another human being? Jesus knows that I can say with my words, “I love you,” but if I hurt for you, even die for you—that’s when I show what I say is true. Love hurts. 

“So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:25-27).

What does it mean to be willing to be wounded for another? It may mean taking responsibility for a situation that may not be my direct concern, but my friend is unable to emotionally engage and is incapable of discovering a healthy outcome. Does love require me to be relationally wounded, so my friend can experience the healing power of love? Marriage is an everyday opportunity to listen and love by leaning into each other’s pain, not judging or defending—but to be an emotional shock absorber for life’s bumpy ride. Wounds fester in fearful aloneness, but have a chance to heal in a caring community. Shared burdens bring needed relief. 

When a friend bears my burden of emotional hurt, by hurting with me—my healing begins. When I go to my best friend Jesus, and say out loud my unfulfilled longings—He enters into my pain with loving patience and helps me better align my desires with His. My wounded healer—has healing in His wings for me, if I choose to rest in the shadow of His loving presence. Jesus was willing to be wounded, so healing can come to all who come to Him in repentance and faith. Is another wounded—offer healing love. Are you wounded—let love heal your heart. Love heals. 

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me be willing to be wounded to help another be healed, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Application

Who needs me to step up and help bear her burden?

Related Reading

Romans 8:32; Ephesians 2:4; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 3:16, 4:10

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