Leave no One Behind – Reaching the Homebound

Isaiah 35:3 - Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way.

When battling a chronic health condition, there are times when we are unable to leave our homes. It may be we’re in so much pain that we can hardly take care of ourselves let alone go somewhere.
 
You have a toolbox, though, full of ways to combat the pain you’re experiencing and and decide to try and fix your day.
 

• Maybe you pick up a wrench in the form of a good book to read.
• Maybe you pick up a screwdriver in the form of a heating pad or icepack.
• Maybe you pick up a hammer in the form of a program on TV that makes you laugh.
• Maybe you pick up a saw in the form of a nap in the middle of the day to get re-energized.
• Maybe you pick up a handful of nails in the form of an apple to knock out a sugar craving.

 
Whatever tool you choose to pull out sometimes nothing helps. And so you sit alone with tears streaming down your face, as you realize, life has passed you by and no one has noticed.
 
You’ve been left behind.
 
Here’s the other side of the story – What if you’re not the one who has a chronic health condition, but someone who is healthy? You get so busy with your day that you forget you also have a toolbox of your own, and you could be the one to lift off a burden.
 

• Maybe you pick up a wrench in the form of a phone call to check in on a friend.
• Maybe you pick up a screwdriver in the form of a card to encourage your friend to keep going.
• Maybe you pick up a hammer in the form of a DVD and take it over to your friend in pain to help them forget their sorrows.
• Maybe you pick up a saw in the form of offering to babysit a friend’s kids so they can take a nap.
• Maybe you pick up a handful of nails in the form of stopping by to visit with your friend who just needs someone to be there and listen.

 
The point is, we are charged to leave no one behind.
 
We aren’t to stay so busy in our lives that we forget there are others out there who would love to be busy and active in their world, but are unable to do so.
 
Being homebound can make each moment of our day drag on. We long for someone just to notice us and take away our loneliness.
 
No matter which side of life you find yourself, together we can become a community of friends helping friends. Huffingtonpost.com has some ideas on how to help someone who is chronically ill and may be homebound in their article, “Have a Friend With Chronic Illness? Here Are 10 Ways You Can Help.” Their ideas include giving companionship even if it’s only bringing them a hamburger and a milkshake, and validate their experience by letting them know that you see their struggle and recognize the destruction is real.
 
Life can be hard. But with a little effort we will leave no one behind; especially those who are homebound. We can be the ones to strengthen the feeble and unsteady, and be used by God to lift the burden of another soul.

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