Comfort Slap

The Lord has been reminding me about the need for us to comfort one another. People around me seem to be going through really hard times, not just financially but with health and family issues. There seems to be this unsettledness in my spirit and with people in general. We all need to hear encouraging words and to know that someone is not only listening but cares about us. 

On the other hand sometimes I'm so focused on others I forget to make sure my own family is getting the comfort they may be needing. I'm trying to make that a priority right now.

My grandson Anthony plays soccer. I remember when he was 4 and just started playing my kids and I were at his game and of course cheering for Anthony and his team. When we weren't yelling for him personally we would be yelling “GO GREEN” cause that was his teams color that day. 

As the game went on Green starting scoring quite a few goals and the black team had none. The children on the black team were getting discouraged and needed some comforting so my daughter and I started cheering for them too.

My grandson heard us yell “GO BLACK” and he stopped playing, turned and looked at me with a very stern look and stormed off the field over to where we sat. He looked at me and said “Nanna what are you doing!?" 

We are Green stop saying go black!” We laughed, behind his back of course, because he was dead serious and he let us know we were not to cheer for the wrong team. 

He's 7 now so when I'm going to encourage or comfort the other team I yell the number on the jersey so he won't know what I'm up to. 

Sometimes being an encourager for the “wrong team” is not what I feel like doing. Let me explain. The other night I wanted to beat up a homeless woman. Yea you read that right but hear me out.

I was helping to feed the homeless like any other Tuesday night making sure everyone has enough food and drink and helping the moms with small children. There was a woman with her son about 4 years old sitting at a table in front of me. Like most 4 year olds he was squirming around and ended up sliding off his chair. Without missing a beat the mom grabbed him before he totally hit the ground. I thought to myself nice save. 

I wasn't prepared for what happened next. She pretty much threw the child into the chair and started slapping him. She was yelling at him in Spanish so I didn't know what she was saying but I could tell by the look on her face it was mean. At first I just kind of froze in my spot, then I started walking toward her. By now the boy was trying to lay his head on her lap and she kept pushing him off her in disgust. 

Four times he tried to lay on her and she pushed him away. 

It all happened really quick and I remember saying “Lord do something cause I'm gonna pounce on her.” I was ready for a fight and made my way through the tables toward her. Just as I got behind her and reached my arm out she got up and walked away. I'm telling you it was God because only His timing could be that exact.

I looked down at the little boy and asked if he was OK. Seriously Gems this boy had the face of an angel with a head full of curly red locks. His face was swollen from crying and he looked like he hadn't bathed in a while. I just wanted to pick him up and take him home. I comforted him and asked again if he was OK and he shook his head yes. I then did what any mom would do, I asked if he wanted a cookie.

I talked to him for a few minutes and then the strangest thing happened. The Lord told me to go find his mom and comfort her.

Are you kidding me! I want to slap her not comfort her. The Lord reminded me that if I got in her face she would only take her anger out on the boy. If she behaved that way in public how much worse would it be in private. I took a deep breath and walked toward her. I came up behind her, grabbed a bat, just kidding, and touched her arm. I asked her if I could give her some fruit and cookies for her son. She said he already had a cookie but I handed her the bag anyway. 

Then because of my obedience the grace of God came through. I told her that I was proud of her for making sure she and her son were there to have a hot meal. I went on to say I know how hard it is to raise a child and the challenges of doing it alone. I followed her back to her chair and asked her if she wanted me to pray for her. Her whole demeanor changed from an angry woman to someone in need of comfort. I prayed for her and just talked for a few minutes, hugged them both and walked away. 

Gems it was easy for me to be judgmental toward this woman and I'm not condoning her behavior but I know what it's like to be a mom on the edge and go off on my kids. 

The Lord wanted me to comfort her with the same comfort He gave me. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 

This woman was so focused on her circumstances she was forgetting to comfort her team or in this case her son. Maybe if we obeyed this verse more often people would be less stressed and be kinder to one another. 

The King James Bible uses some form of the word comfort 119 times. It started in 

Genesis 5:29 He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.”

Obviously God knew we were going to need comfort. 

Definition of Comfort - to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to. 

Many times we relate giving comfort to someone who just had a loss or is dealing with sickness but if we look at what Webster says it also means to reassure or bring cheer to. We need comfort when we are stressed or concerned about something in our life that are out of our control or just new to us. 

This week as we prepare for Thanksgiving I challenge you Gems to ask your family members if they need comfort in any area of their life. I also challenge you to reach out to someone you may want to slap and offer comfort to them as well. 

Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

 Isaiah 49:13 Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. 

Isaiah 66:13As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” 

Jeremiah 31:13Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort!

I wish you all A Very Happy and Comforting Thanksgiving!!