Oppressed

"I saw the tears of the oppressed—
and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
and they have no comforter" (Ecclesiastes 4:1).

We see heartbreaking things every day and have learned to walk right by them. The news, for all the good it might do, desensitizes us to the reality of suffering, death and destruction. Just another hurricane. Just another drone strike. Just another refugee camp.

Until the photo of a refugee toddler whose body washed up on shore was tweeted. Suddenly, the world was ignited and seemingly motivated to do something about refugees in at least one part of the world. (The photo is here...it's heartbreaking.)

All of that begs the question: what does it take to motivate the world? And, more to the point: what does it take to motivate me?

The Teacher was one who "saw the tears" of those who were going through difficult times, those who were being treated unfairly by those in power. Perhaps they were widows who were being taken advantage of. Perhaps they were victims of yet another war. Perhaps they were employees who had been let go unfairly. Perhaps they were people who were caught in any number of other situations. Power, the Teacher says, is in the hands of a few, and those few used their power to treat others badly. To treat others in an ungodly way.

Maybe most heartbreaking is the Teacher's conclusion: "They have no comforter."

The Teacher is still with us, in the form of many people who give up on God because of just such situations. A toddler's body washes up on shore—who was his comforter? People perish in the back of a truck trying to escape war—who was there to comfort them? A woman dies alone in a nursing home while her family rarely thinks of her—who comforts her? Who comforts those in need?

It's no mistake that Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would be a comforter (John 14:26, KJV; other translations say "advocate" or "counselor" or "helper," but the word means "one who comes alongside to help"). He is the one who is present with those in need, always, just waiting for them to cry out to him. He is a father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5), a helper to those in need, a comforter who comes alongside to help.

But he's not the only one.

We're called to live that out as well, to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the midst of a broken world. We're the ones called to speak up for the oppressed, to stand up against systems that break, kill and harm human beings. We're the ones who are called to participate with Christ in the restoration of God's world. We can be the living embodiment of the Holy Spirit when we comfort those in need. When we help the widow in distress (James 1:27). When we offer refuge to the refugee. When we do all we can to bring healing and hope. When we sit with that person who is suffering late into the night. They have no comforter, which is why God is sending you and me to be their comforter, their advocate, their helper, their counselor.

"They have no comforter." What heartbreaking words! But you and I have the opportunity to be ministers of the Holy Spirit to a broken and dying world by offering comfort, strength and healing. Do that today. Be Jesus to someone in need. Stand up against the oppressors. And fight against the meaninglessness that a lack of comfort brings. God is calling—will we answer?