Our pony, Rocky is a mirror image of this poor guy stuck in the fence. Behind him stands a cow--we don't own one, but they're all around our property. Our neighbors are dairy farmers. We've seen cows, not horses, stuck in fences. We've helped deliver baby cows stuck in the birth canal. Being stuck is uncomfortable to say it mildly. Have you ever been stuck and everyone around you seemed to be laughing at you instead of rushing to help you? What an awkward position to find yourself. What happened to get you into that situation? I'm sure this horse has a tale to tell.
What's the horse thinking now? I should have known better. How many times do we find ourselves stuck in a fence wondering how we got there? Probably like the horse, we ventured into territory we shouldn't have. Maybe we crossed the line between right and wrong or were tempted by the larger, greener field on the other side of the fence. Where are our friends when we need help? Are they laughing behind our backs or do they have our back?
Where am I when my friends are stuck? Am I standing behind laughing, or am I giving a push to help move them to freedom from their present problem, trauma, or life difficulty. If you are anything like me, I'm still learning how to be a good friend––sometimes I fail. When someone needs a push or shove, I want to be there cheering them on, not enjoying their predicament, condemning, or standing afar hoping someone else will step up to help or encourage them. I want to step up to the fence. It's a cruel world out there––you may have noticed. Are we adding to our friends' misery or giving them a push to the other side of the fence where they can once again begin anew, free from the fences that keep them stuck?
Do we jump up and down and yell "Yay" for our friends when they succeed? If not, we should be. Everyone needs cheering and shoving from friends who have their back––whatever their circumstances.
Are you an empath? I am. I am able to tune into the emotional experience of a person. It brings me great joy to have this ability, but it also brings me great sorrow because I feel so deeply for my friends and even people I don't know well. Do you have friends who laugh when you laugh and cry when you cry? If so, you, my friend, are blessed. Are you that kind of friend? Let's ask God to help us be obedient to His Word that says, "Laugh with your happy friends, share tears when they're down. " Romans 12:15 (MSG)
Let's stick together so we don't get stuck in a fence.
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