Broken People

Broken People
 
          Twice in one day recently I heard two different people say that they had tried to “fix” someone else who was broken, and it had not worked. My mind began to whirl as I thought about how many times and ways that I had tried to fix broken people. Also, I know that there have been times when others have tried to fix me. There are several problems with trying to fix other people.
          First, we are not always able to understand how or why a person has gotten broken. All we see is the broken person but not the cause. Sometimes we think that the cause is an addiction, selfishness, arrogance, anger, family situations or many other factors. These things may in fact just be symptoms of the broken person who has much deeper causes for their broken condition.  So many times, we want the symptoms to go away so that the person will be fixed. But it usually never will go away until the deeper root cause is dealt with.
          Also, we try to fix the person when in many cases they do not want to be fixed. WE and most everyone else want them to be fixed but they don’t see the need. For example, in the case of a person who is broken because of an addiction, they may actually enjoy the very thing that is causing them to be broken. Until they see the problems that being broken are causing and a need to be fixed they will usually remain in the broken condition – no matter how hard we try and fix them.
          Lastly, we try to fix broken people but many times we use the wrong “tools.” We use criticism, anger, threats, physical and emotional attacks, withdrawal from the person, and the list goes on. These usually are not effective and cause the broken person to feel even more broken and thus resort back to the very thing that is causing them to be broken.
          One of the greatest tools that we can use is love. I am not talking about our being abused or hurt and just acting like it never happened. No, I am talking about showing them the love of Christ. His love is more powerful than anything you can say or do in your own flesh to try and fix the broken person.
          Another great thing that we can do is to turn the person over to the Lord and pray for them. All that we can do through our efforts is to condemn the broken person. God, through the Holy Spirit, can convict the broken person and help them see their need to be fixed (healed and set free). HE can do a whole lot more than we can think or imagine. But sometimes we must get out of His way in order for Him to work the best.
I am so thankful that God specializes in not just fixing broken things but that He does more than that. The Bible says that, “He makes us a new creation.” New is way better than patched up and mended. So, let Him use you as a tool to help a broken person be made new. – In love with Jesus – Gary Mimbs