Shock Therapy

Not all shocks are electrical are they? People around us are getting shocked every day by bad news they've just received, by bad treatment, by unexpected developments, by a death, or a failure, or by pain in a relationship. And not all hugs are two arms around a person - although that kind of hug is great. But a hug can be a word of encouragement, or an offer to help, a gift, a compliment, a place to rest and recover. It's practical love when someone has really been hit hard.David never forgot the men who "hugged" him, so to speak, when he was battling shock.

The king that David had served loyally turned on him out of jealousy and he wanted him dead. And the king is in hot pursuit of David; he is ready to kill him when he finds him. This was way before electricity, but it must have been a shock to David. The Word of God comes out of that incident: I Chronicles 11:16. It says this, "At that time David was in the stronghold and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, ‘Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem.'"That's his home town, he's nostalgic for it.

He's hurting because of the pressure he's under. The Philistines, his enemy, they're in charge of things there. But the Bible says, "So the three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David." They knew his language of love at a time when he was really needing encouragement. It was behind enemy lines, but still they sacrificed and risked to bring David a gift that would let him know that he was cared about.

Years later when David is king, these men are some of his main men. He never forgot that "hug" he got from them during his shock time.Sometimes we are so preoccupied with our own business and our own burdens we don't even notice the shock victims around us. But your hug might be just the margin for someone who's been really hit hard. And it isn't that difficult, it usually involves a simple step like a note, or a card, or a good deed, or allowing someone to use your car, or your getaway spot. It can mean just an offer to baby sit, or grocery shop, or maybe cook a meal.

In Matthew 10:42 He said, "If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple he will certainly not lose his reward." Jesus notices when we stop to administer shock therapy. When we find a way to show practical love to someone, like even a drink of cold water, He'll turn those hugs, those cups of water, into eternal reward someday. So open your eyes, open your heart to see the shock victim near you and find a way to hug them. And when you do, you'll be acting so very much like Jesus.