Pastor Speaks
September 2, 2004

Have you ever been disappointed? Was there a time in your life when you didn’t get the job you had hoped for? Was there someone you really loved but they rejected you and chose another?

Life is full of disappointments. We set personal goals for ourselves only to see them never realized because of unforeseen circumstances. Or, we never get as far as we would like in our careers. Perhaps we may never get to live in that "dream house." Our children sometimes disappoint us too and choose paths that are against our hopes. Health problems or financial setbacks can also spoil our dreams. Everyone has disappointments, so what can we do to rise above them?

In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus models a way for us to cope and rise above life’s disappointments. In chapter 14:13-21, Jesus had just experienced several disappointments. First, he was rejected in his home town and unable to be effective in ministry. Secondly, John the Baptist, had been put to death. And third, while he was grieving, a great crowd invaded his private space. To cope with his grief, Jesus got in a little boat and rowed out on the lake. Makes sense to me. Nothing like a little time in your boat to escape the tribulations of life. But, the crowd apparently followed him along the shore. Jesus wanted to be alone, but couldn’t escape the thousands of people who needed him.

In the midst of his personal sorrow Jesus sees the people on shore and instead of meditating at sea he returns to shore and "had compassion on them." Jesus demonstrated that the way to rise above our disappointments in life is to be compassionate toward others. One would think that being compassionate to others would only drain us even more. Jesus, however had compassion for others in spite of his own personal disappointments and thus he was able to continue his journey.

Unfortunately we live in a society that is driven by "meism." Too many people are consumed with themselves and being compassionate toward others is low on their list of priorities. To cope with disappointment and sorrow folks withdraw, escape to drugs and alcohol and live their lives with bouts of depression and hopelessness. Only a few turn to God and God’s Church for comfort and wisdom.

One time a man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they eventually began to talk about religion. When they touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists." "Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "If God exists, there wouldn’t be so many sick people. If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who would allow all of these things."

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist." "How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty, long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside." "Ah, but barbers DO exist! What happens, is, people do not come to me," the barber angrily replied. Then, in a tactful and reassuring voice the customer answered, "Exactly, that's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to God."

Regardless of the disappointments, crises, problems or tribulations we face we can be assured that God is with us. Like Jesus, we too can rise above our disappoints by being compassionate. And like him, we can rise above our disappointments by turning to God for help in times of need.

Dr. Keith Wagner, Pastor
St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio