My phone chirped with an SMS. Given everything going on, I knew I needed to take a quick look. As a rule, this sender never contacts me while out on vacation or on a holiday. Today was a vacation day so I knew it had to be unusual.
The call was brief, to the point, almost curt. I knew there was more to the story. As I listened to the longer version of the actions of different people on the team from a neutral colleague, I knew my initial decision to get involved by delegating the issue was not going to be enough. I could hear some old advice echoing in my mind. “You can’t just go along with this, treating it as acceptable behavior. I’m not responsible for what the outsiders do, but don’t we have some responsibility for those within our community of believers?” (1 Corinthians 5.12)
We do need to care about others, don’t we?
The rhetorical question haunts me as I ponder my next move.
If I was reading about individuals I did not know, I could see how I could easily not get involved. It is hard to get involved in the details of another’s life when you are not already involved. However, when they are part of the community how does one sit by when s/he knows they can make a difference.
Too often I find easy ways to escape. I am busy. There are deadlines. The pressing task of the moment cannot be ignored. I can be very creative in my logic! Yet the question remains. If one can help, should s/he? What if others do not want our help? What if they do not know how to ask for help?
In this case, I could read between the lines. The words were a cry for help using a language a do not often listen to. I know what I must do in this situation. I also know I need to struggle with what I should do with the other opportunities around me. Playing ignorant is not the answer.
