Surprised by Grace (32): It hurts HIM to care

News reports of deaths are always disheartening.

Two types are most galling.

The first is industrial accidents where practically owing to sheer neglect of safety measures, most likely on the part of the employers, lives that often are the economic pillar of a family are taken away.

It’s just too sad.

Maids falling whist wiping windows.
Mechanics falling whilst cleaning window a/c.
Day labourer crushed to death in construction sites.

It’s a shame for a city as rich and advanced as HK there is still such backward labor protection.
Indirectly it serves as unpardonable indictment of the communist organisation that’s supposed to be workers-oriented, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions（工聯會）！

The second type is the one that this piece focuses on.
This includes suicides that are either jumping off a building, into waters, onto tracks, or just burning charcoal.
All premeditated.
All intentional.
Definitely not accident.

It’s infinitely sadder.

Someone has to first do the calculation that there’s nothing left to live for, or nothing could salvage life, or himself or herself worths nothing!

For someone to reach such a conclusion there must have been many miserable circumstances.
There is no denying of that.

Unfortunately the world is so callous, or just lazy, to think that only if the person is provided with sufficient material support, he will not commit suicide.
Give youths access to flats.
Give the poor subsidies.
Give the poor free utilities.
Give them food and meals.

When someone has food and shelter, even family, he would feel life worth living.
So it is believed.

So little regard for the mental side.
Or the void in the soul.

It’s been shown by studies after studies, and anecdotes upon anecdotes, that what is more important than the provision of say food or money, is that someone cares!

Kids craving for attention.
Football players looking for coaches’ approval.
Young girls looking for love, even from pimps!
Just one.
No need groups.
No need fans.
Just one caring person.

It has easily led to the untested assumption that all it takes is whatever that bowls the recipient over.

But here lies the significant truth, albeit surprising:
It depends not on how valuable something is to the recipient, it is to the giver that counts.

It sounds counter-intuitive but is simply easily demonstrated.

For example, a rich person giving a lavish meal to a person contemplating suicide doesn’t necessarily reflect the rich’s care.
Perhaps in fact it never moved the needle.
The rich never hurt; even felt.

On the other hand, if some rich person has something unique and beloved to him, then separating from that would bring a forever searing pain to him.
Let’s say it’s one or two kidneys.
Then it is the parting that matters.
It’s what’s behind the parting that matters . . . to the recipient.

When the recipient realises how painful it’s been to the giver, the sense of “being cared” sinks in.

It’s like when you wake up from a successful heart transplant surgery, and realise the heart came from your mom, you will feel her love.
Indebted for sure.
To a lesser extent, kidney.
But the point is made.

It is written, “Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things ?” (Rom 8:32, NET)

For whom was the giving?
For us!

Well, perhaps Paul’s Romans was just wishful thinking.
God has never had any glance towards Israelites, nor all humans.

But did Paul just bluffed or bumbled into a gold mine?

Best consult Paul’s Scriptures.

 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “I solemnly swear by my own name, decrees the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies. Because you have obeyed me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.” (Gen 22:15-18 NET)

That was written millennia before Paul.
That was talking about Abraham.
That was talking about Abraham as the Father.
The key lies in the only promised Son—Isaac.
The only son from Abraham and wife Sarah.
The only son who bears the promise for all descendants.
Yet Abraham gave.

Back from the Paul’s scriptures, the Genesis story.

Clearly Paul in Romans echoes what Abraham did in Genesis.
Abraham the father offering Isaac on the altar is nothing less than God the Father leading Jesus to the Cross.

The important thing is for whom?

Paul unabashedly claimed, “for us”!

Anyone who has never experienced a sense of importance.
Anyone who has never had himself/herself as the focus of attention.
Anyone who has given up on the creator having an interest on him or her.
Or anyone who has given up on life, for no one cares.

This is where it shows God cares.
It hurts to give up Son Jesus.
Just as it hurt to offer Isaac.

God cares for us, even when it hurts.

Grace surprises.