broken

last night i attended a downtown music majig and right in front of the stage there was a rather
intoxicated fellow, probably in his sixties, holding alcohol in one hand, and a cigarette in the other.

singing his heart out, and dancing like a truly trolleyed man, everyone laughed at him. i laughed at him.

then my dad decided that he and my brother should stand in front of the girls in case anything happened, as mr. white dancer frequently "got all up in" people's faces.

i'm glad for luke and my dad.

mr. white dancer came up to luke, put his arm around him, and began to say things into luke's ear.

and then, luke hugged him. hugged him like he wasn't filthy. hugged him like he didn't smell awful.

i was right behind luke, so i could see the man's eyes.

and then the man started to cry. i saw tears pouring down his face from his bloodshot eyes. and he kept looking back at luke.

my mom leaned over, and pointed out that he was more than likely crying because luke hugged him. showed him love. showed him love like no one else had that night ... or maybe in a long, long time.

he was broken. he was hurting for love. drinking and dancing. looking for attention, and my awesome brother shows him what he's been begging for.

i think Jesus wants us to come to him broken.

psalm 51:17 the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

recently i have found some seriously tragic things out about someone i know.

and i had someone else point out that maybe this is what is breaking her. this is what is

humbling her before the Lord.

i sure hope so.

i love that song, hungry.

broken i run to you, for your arms are open wide. i am weary but i know your touch restores my life.

i think about the summer my leg was broken. i was but six years old, and i remember how
terrible it was to not be able to do things, and to rely on everyone else.

i can only imagine how humbling it would be to break my leg now, at sixteen years of age.

even though being broken is humiliating, it's also quite humbling.

and we all need that.