HIS SPECIALTY – by Teresa K. Burleson
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff' out." Isaiah 42:3 (NIV)
My friend had major health issues, and her marriage was disintegrating. Instead of affirming her, the counselor found fault with her. She was a fragile reed, already bruised, being snapped in two.
We are all broken reeds in need of gentle handling, but the world is not kind to the broken. So often, we are not kind to each other either. As the poem, "The Fool's Prayer," by Edward Rowland puts it, "These clumsy feet, still in the mire, go crushing blossoms without end; These hard well-meaning hands we thrust among the heart-strings of a friend."
Only Jesus can be trusted to never break the bruised reed or quench the smoldering wick. Broken hearts are His specialty. Once we bring Him every bit of our broken hearts, He begins the mending process. Then, He uses us as wounded healers, His instruments to other broken reeds all around us. God is in the repair business. The question is whether we will work with Him or against Him.
Everywhere people need His healing touch–the single moms, the fatherless, the disabled, the homeless, those incarcerated, the divorced, or the widowed–each one needs Jesus. Will we let Him use us? The choice is ours. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the bruised reeds and the smoldering wicks in your life. Make it a matter of prayer.
For Teresa, writing is a calling and a ministry. She has credits in over 45 magazines. Contact
