Joy and Sorrow (from Tuesday)

Psalm 30:5 Portrayals of Christians in the media often frustrate me. Whether it on the news or in a drama or sitcom, Christian characters rarely look like the people I work and worship with at Oak Ridge. As life-issues have become more complex and global awareness of atrocity and societal breakdown has grown, Christians have too few strong and competent voices on the national and international stage. And, we are portrayed as either withdrawing into our comfortable cocoons or boldly addressing topics far removed from general concerns. But that is not how you act. How do you stay engaged in another's pain? How do you find strength to become a child-advocate with CASA? How do you serve lunch to hungry neighbors at Center of Hope? How do you love on a friend or relative as they suffer and die of cancer? How do you keep joy and sorrow as two sides of the same coin?