If We Listen

Scripture References: 2 Samuel 17:23; Acts 1:18-19

He received a B.S. degree from Penn State at age twenty and earned his M.D. at age twenty-five. He became one of the nation’s youngest psychiatrists and at thirty-four taught law in one university and psychiatry in another. Deeply troubled, despite his success, he had a marriage he couldn’t save. One morning he and his estranged wife argued in her house. As she ran outside, neighbors heard a gunshot. Police found his body, a shotgun at his side.

Another man taught at a community college. He had been brilliant, innovative, and controversial. When he failed to appear for a meeting one morning, someone called his home. The man’s recorded voice answered, “Call the coroner. There’s been a suicide.” The police found him slumped in a chair, a bullet in his head.

For several weeks beforehand each man had signaled his intentions, mentioning or openly discussing suicide. Passing it off as temporary depression, friends and relatives failed to take action, thinking the men were too much in charge of themselves, too logical, too educated, with too much to live for to ever consider such action.

People are rarely in such charge of themselves as to never have self-doubt. Often, their self-sufficiency only masks a much deeper need of the Creator. We masquerade our inadequacies to keep from others our unmanageable anguish. Behind apparent maturity, all too often, is a child whimpering for a hug.

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV © 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved.