RIP

Okay, so this is a heavy topic. A few weeks ago one of my friends from middle and high school committed suicide. You see, recently, he had been getting into things that weren't good. I'll spare you details out of respect for the family, but he posted on facebook what he was doing, and I saw it and I felt a pull as though I should reach out to him... but I didn't. I made excuses in my head such as "I'm really busy," and "It's been so long since we've hung out anyways, it'd just be awkward, what would I say?" ..... It's so easy to make excuses isn't it? Well I made one excuse too many, and now he's dead.

Everyone is quick to tell me that it's not my fault, and I couldn't have known and blah blah blah... and to an extent, they're right, I didn't directly make the decision to take a life. On the other hand, they are dead wrong. I had EVERY opportunity to reach out and at least make an attempt at reconnecting with him and try to pull him up a little bit. But, I didn't.

What my hope is in bringing this to light is this: That you *NOT* brush this under the table, that you not throw me a pity party, that you not ignore this. Just think of someone that you know, that you care about, that you can reach out to. I know how easy it is to make excuses, but just think for a minute. Now imagine you get a phone call in a few minutes saying that they found that person dead.

Morbid? Well, maybe, but just keep tracking with me here for a minute. Seriously think about this. (Side note: Ecclesiastes states that it is better to go to a house of mourning than a house of feasting. Why is this? It reminds you how short of a vapor our lives are on this earth.) What if you got that phone call? How many chances can you look back on that you passed up that could've made a difference in their life? Let this disturb you.

Let it sink in.

Think about it, they're now dead, and YOU had the power to do something, but you didn't.

Why?

Because it may have been slightly socially awkward?

Was their death worth avoiding a tiny bit of potential awkwardness?

Thankfully, (hopefully,) their death hasn't actually happened yet. You STILL have the opportunity to make a difference. Please, if you have any heart at all, let this speak to you. Stop reading this post and pray for that person. It will still be here when you get back.

Now, make intentional steps to reach out to them. If you're really serious about it, post what you're going to do as an "I will..." statement in the comments, I'll follow up with you and hold you accountable.

Now go, and do something about this. Go and reach out to your friends and acquaintances who are lost or drifting around, who need to be reached out to.