The Urubu

Urubu in Brazil

Similar to our American Black Vulture

There is an old saying that originates from an Indian proverb, "Never judge a man until you have walked a mile in his moccasins." Or if you live in South America, "Never judge a man until you have walked 2 moons in his moccasins."  Of course, this reminds us to be aware of a man's circumstances and to consider what he is going through before proposing our simple opinions and fixes. Some of us just offer our "unasked for" opinions anyway, and it gets us into trouble even when we HAVE walked those 2 moons. Like vultures who seize upon something wounded or dead with a purpose, we attack situations with our "cure". How different is God when we are in need....we receive his healing balm and calming words from His Word.

I've learned that I can never go wrong with offering someone Scripture when words fail me. The Word of God is often like restorative ointment to a hurting soul, supplying true peace and comfort, especially when I'm asking the Lord for the right words to say to someone who feels pure despondence. Psalm 147 provides the reader with promise by reminding us that God is in control of all things.

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds."

"He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names."

"He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry."

"He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in his mercy."

While visiting my sister's town in northern Brazil for several summers, I witnessed a couple of funerals.  Their observances are a little more involved time-wise than our services but a lot more simple. It is a common practice in this particular town that the body is laid out on a table or in front of the wooden house for a few days before the actual ceremony. Once the day of the funeral arrives, the body is loaded onto a wagon or the back of a truck and the procession of people to walk behind the cart begins. I was very thankful that my sister encouraged me to attend because with each step I felt as though I was walking in the mourner's shoes. There is time to think of the death and what the person meant to the church, their family, and to the community. The process after the eulogy (and, in our case, a sermon by my brother-in-law) is always long and involved, for the digging of the grave and lowering of the body and pouring of cement over the wooden box is done in front of all attendees. This particular town's cemetary has an endless supply of under-nourished dogs who are always close by, often growling because they are irritated and hungry. It is unsettling but expected. Salt is poured around the burial plot to keep the flies away since the body has somewhat decayed already. And, of course, the udubu are ever lurking in the trees above and in the street curbs, looking for the yuck to devour. You can see how devastating and dark death is to these simple people unless they have the hope of Heaven. Thank the Lord for Mark and Sheri's influence in the town; they brought the light of salvation and the hope of Heaven to many who were believing in shallow prayers to a statue that was taking them straight to hell.

I've learned that it is when I view someone's needs through the Lord's eyes and not my own that I am able to help them in the long run. Like a typical funeral in northern Brazil, many lives are lived out of tradition with no hope of eternity. People with heavy hearts need balm not an udubu. They don't need bandaids of shallow words that cover a wound for the moment, they need salve that heals from the inside out. The only way to truly know the words that our Lord might say is to get them straight from Him. We have to read the Word, ask Him for wisdom, and like Jesus did, walk in people's steps, living where they live, reaching them where they are. If Mark had ignored the call and never sold everything that he and Sheri had and not moved to another continent to share Christ, some of the people they reached might still be in spiritual darkness.

For all of us, we have our own circles of life and people for whom we are responsible to encourage and help without attacking and offering spurts of our own sentiments and assumptions. Give the truth, yes, but in love.

Eleanor Roosevelt said it best. "Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart." As Christians, may we all be the kinds of friends who leave a definite mark on people's lives for the good and for eternity because we walk in Christ.