Day 16: Hurting
No matter who they are, how successful they’ve been, how confident they seem, or how loved they may appear – every person you meet is either hurting or has been hurt in some form or fashion throughout their lives.
Many of us have seen the image, often shared on social media or in leadership trainings, of the iceberg in the ocean. The tip of it is sticking out of the water where you can see it from the water’s surface, but underneath there is a massive ice structure that no one can see from above the waters. The tip that is showing represents what we hear and see people saying and doing. The ice underneath represents all the things that person has endured or all the things they are currently dealing with that we do not know about. This picture is helpful in that it reminds us that there is a lot going on in people’s minds, hearts, and bodies that can make them behave and believe the way they do. We are wise and mature when we refuse to judge, and rather, consider that there is much underneath the surface that is influencing each life. This doesn’t excuse behavior – but it does help us to understand it.
Scripture Reference: Psalm 147:3
Application:
Grab a piece of paper and sketch this iceberg illustration, or print it out from this page. Keep it with you or hang it in your home or office as a reminder that when we encounter people, there is much beneath the surface that needs loved, recognized, and healed.
Pray and ask God to help you keep this image close during your interactions this week.
